Code-switching and the use of different varieties of English in blogs in a multilingual context

Code-switching and the use of different varieties of English in blogs in a multilingual context Abstract This project paper attempts to rationalize the reasons as to why code-switching and different varieties of English are used in blogs among young adults who are proficient in the language. The varieties that were found in all 6 case study blogs differ very much in style and form, ranging anywhere from colloquial to formal, or written in grammatically correct English to simple use of the language along with mild to heavy code-switching. Three important questions were raised and answered in the paper, namely i) what are the varieties of languages used in the blogs? ii) to what extent does the code-switching take place (e.g. word, sentence level)? and iii) what are the reasons for the occurrences of the code-switching? 1. Introduction â€Å"The accent of ones birthplace lingers in the mind and in the heart as it does in ones speech† Rochefoucauld, Maximes, 342 Blogs are currently a growing trend, especially among the younger generation who are technologically savvy. Maintaining a blog is almost a norm and to some people, something that they cannot live without. Many of these youngsters regard blogs as their means of expressing their sense of independence and individualism. It is their private world a place where they are able to speak their mind without anyone questioning them (disregarding instances of comments being left by readers). However, just like the writers themselves who are different from one another, the language varieties that are used in these blogs differ very much in style and form, reflecting the writers individuality. The language can range from being colloquial to formal, or in cases where the writers are multilingual, display instances of heavy code-switching. These reasons for code-switching could range from trying to create a sense of importance about a certain topic or individual, to simply wanting to reflect ones individualism and background by using certain expressions that are intended to exclude or include certain speech communities. For example, a blog written in the Malayalam language is meant only for readers who are able to read and write in the language, and thus not for the purpose of general viewing. This study attempts to examine the use of code-switching in certain Malaysian blogs and examine the possible reasons for code-switching by individuals who are proficient in English. 2. Literature Review Haugen (1953, p.7) defines bilingualism as a phenomenon where â€Å"the speaker of one language can produce complete meaningful utterances in the other language†. As highlighted in Hakuta (1986), Mackey (1967) has also claimed that â€Å"bilingualism, far from being exceptional, is a problem which affects the majority of the worlds population† (p.11). This is a statement that I do not fully agree on, because bilingualism should not be considered a problem, but more a reflection of rapid globalization and an increasingly borderless world. Hakuta (1986, p.10) also explains that â€Å"the story of bilingualism is in part about the changing perspectives of social scientists, changes that occur not only as a function of trends in the profession but as a function of trends in society as a whole†. This is something quite relevant to the topic of bilingualism as it has a lot to do with the changing perspectives of society and how it really functions as a trend. In Paradiss (Ed.) (1978), it is claimed that â€Å"†¦since the role of individual idiosyncratic factors seems to be an important aspect of code-switching, in that among groups of approximately equal bilingual abilities, some code-switch more than others, a complete determination of the sufficient conditions for code-switching probably lies beyond the reach of behavioral sciences†. Paradis (1978) also further stated that â€Å"within a given linguistic community, there appears to be no single set of norms that determines how often, within a single sentence, languages may shifted, nor how many words or syllables must intervene between switches†. This is very true if bilingual communities such as within the Malaysian context are observed, where most of the people are multilingual and code-switching is an almost sub-conscious part of their lives. Dopke (1992), claims that â€Å"[c]ode-switching can arise as a result of changes to the participants in a conversation, the setting, the discourse type or the topic or by the speakers need to emphasize or clarify a point, to attract or retain the attention of the listener, to quote someone else or to simply exclude or include specific audiences†. For example, Pillai (2008) shows that code-switching in this context is related to the concept of power and solidarity, and reflects ones identity within a community. Adler (1977, p.154), points out that if a person were to learn â€Å"a language in his home country, and learns it well, he will be affected by it to some extent†. Adler (1977, p.154) further adds that â€Å"he will have to absorb at least part of the culture of the society whose language he learnsspeaking the language with natives will not only perfect his knowledge but he will also change [code-switch] more than would be the case otherwise†. This is due to the influence of other languages in his environment which affects his primary language. This theory would be used as the theoretical framework in the analysis of data from the case study blogs used for this project paper. In a study on the use of Tagalog-English in blogs written by Filipino bloggers, Smedley (2006) summarized that â€Å"†¦switching is not merely a product of how speakers attend to the orderly production of conversation, but also a product of how they attend to the inherent heteroglossic nature of language and exploit their linguistic repertoire maximally to make their communication as effective as possible, and to construct and negotiate multiple identities†. This is proven when an individual code-switch to further elaborate and explicate meanings through communication with others around them, for example when using certain terms or phrases unique to a certain vernacular language in a predominantly English conversation. This is an underlying premise of which I will attempt to examine in this study. Pillai (2008) also points out that switching can be at the micro level of accent switching in the Malaysian context where speakers do not change language variety but put on a different ethnic accent to reflect ones identity within a community i.e. to be included in various speech communities. It is also pointed out by Ibrahim (2005, cited in Pillai 2008) that there exists a â€Å"desire to use our own brand of English to construct a sense of belonging and identity†¦Ã¢â‚¬  ; and â€Å"†¦to emphasize solidarity or otherwise, and to communicate a particular stance or emotion†. This is another underlying premise regarding code-switching that this study attemps to explore. Similarly, Lipski (2008) discusses the sense of identity as seen within the context of code-switching and bilingualism. This study will be based on the two assumptions. The first is the assumption by Adler (1977, p.154), that if a person were to learn â€Å"a language in his home country, and learns it well, he will be affected by it to some extent†. Adler further adds that â€Å"He will have to absorb at least part of the culture of the society whose language he learnsspeaking the language with natives will not only perfect his knowledge but he will also change [code-switch] more than would be the case otherwise†. The second would be a hypotheses by Smedley (2006) where he claims that â€Å"†¦switching is not merely a product of how speakers attend to the orderly production of conversation, but also a product of how they attend to the inherent heteroglossic nature of language and exploit their linguistic repertoire maximally to make their communication as effective as possible, and to construct and negotiate multiple identities†. 3. Aim This research aims to examine the extent of code-switching in blogs written by individuals who are proficient in the English Language, and to determine the possible reasons for code-switching. In relation to these aims, the research questions that are addressed by this study are as follows: 1. What are the varieties of languages used in the blogs? 2. To what extent does the code-switching take place (e.g. word, sentence level)? 3. What are the reasons for the occurrences of the code-switching? 4. Methodology In order to obtain the relevant data for this research paper, six (6) blogs were chosen three blogs each from writers of the two major ethnic groups in Malaysia, namely Chinese and Malays. The writers of all six blogs that were chosen are first, second and third year English major students from the Faculty of Languages and Linguistics, University of Malaya. The main reason as to why only English major students were chosen is because they are proficient in the language, and thus would provide interesting data which may provide answers to the research questions raised. All six blogs were analyzed to examine the varieties of languages used, and the extent to which they were used as well as the reasons for the code-switching. The analysis was done based on two levels; i) intra-language (variations within English) code-switching at word and sentence level and ii) inter-language code-switching at word and sentence level. 5. Findings Discussion For this research, only data (blog entries) from the months of July to December 2008 were looked at and analysed. This is so that the data acquired is not too broad or too general, instead pointing out specific details which would help in the analysis of data. Three blogs by Malay bloggers and another three blogs by Chinese bloggers were studied and used as data. 5.1 Intra-language code-switching at word level †¦I wus lyk, black out . This sentence is quite interesting as it is made up of a few different varieties of English. The word â€Å"wus† is actually â€Å"was†, and this method of spelling and pronunciation is used mainly in African American Vernacular English speech. The word â€Å"lyk†, which is actually a short form of â€Å"like†, is used primarily in non-standard American English speech, where the word is inserted in the middle of sentences usually before a verb to describe ones emotional state or reaction. notice anything kewl~ today on my page The term â€Å"kewl† here is actually a differed spelling for â€Å"cool†, used usually in teenagers and young adults jargon. The term, in this context, brings about the meaning of â€Å"different and/or interesting or good†. The pronunciation for the word is as its written form. I fucking hate my fucking life . In this sentence from one of the bloggers entries, the curse word â€Å"fucking† is used twice to further illustrate her anger and frustration. This syntactical formation is generally considered non-standard in addition to being offensive or taboo. However, many youngsters these days use this term very freely and it is accepted among the youth today. So Ill say, screw you . Similarly, the phrase â€Å"screw you† is considered non-standard, although not as offensive as the earlier example. This phrase has a few attached meanings to it including â€Å"fuck you† and â€Å"to hell with you†. n btw, its from mahatma gandhi . In this sentence, the blogger uses the term â€Å"btw† which is an acronym for the phrase â€Å"by the way†. This acronym is non-standard English and is used only in written form. In addition to that, â€Å"n† is used in replacement of the more standard â€Å"And†, although it is not usually used at the beginning of a formal sentence. And the prick just went on . Although the blogger uses a generally informal variety of written English, she does code-switch to a non-standard term in between her words the use of the term â€Å"prick†, for example, is considered offensive and taboo in most cases. Here, it is used mainly to illustrate her frustration and anger. 5.2 Intra-language code-switching at sentence level I terribly hearts you . This is a unique way of youngsters nowadays to express their love or liking for something, usually towards non-animate objects, as seen here where the blogger expresses her liking for a TV programme. This style of writing is not accepted in Standard English; however it is so in modern teenagers jargon. What the heck . The phrase highlighted here is a very informal utterance which is used to simply demonstrate ones annoyance. This sentence is generally considered non-standard and is usually used to show exasperation or displeasure towards something, as seen in the example above. Oh no-ness . This phrase is considered ungrammatical in addition to being non-standard. Although for the most part the blogger uses standard and grammatically accepted written English, she chooses to switch to a less grammatical sentence structure, in this case most probably for the purpose of emphasizing her disappointment. 5.3 Inter-language code-switching at word level Nenek belanja all 8 of us to watch the movie . Here, the blogger code-switches from English to Malay to draw attention to the fact that her grandmother (whom she refers to as â€Å"Nenek† a result of her hailing from a Malay culture background) had treated all eight of her siblings and family members to a movie. This is an interesting feature as many people in Malaysia, regardless of their age, race and English proficiency level, use the term â€Å"belanja† quite often to replace the English equivalent â€Å"treated†. It is the main reason as to why the term, like many others akin to it, has a very Malaysian flavour to it. even my abah had forgotten that it was my bday ! Similarly, another blogger from a Malay culture background used the term â€Å"abah† to refer to her father. She does not use the English terms â€Å"father† (formal) or â€Å"dad† (informal), but chooses instead to keep the term she uses to call him â€Å"abah†. As seen in the examples here, words or phrases referring to kinship terms are generally maintained in written form. This can be due to the habit or familiarity with the concept (family members) which makes it easier to refer to them with the names as per given and called. Whatever la . The term â€Å"la† is a very typical Colloquial Malaysian English discourse particle which is used primarily used at the end or beginning of a sentence, though occasionally they are inserted in the middle of sentences. Influenced by the Malay languages â€Å"-lah† suffix, it is commonly used in English conversations for various reasons, such as to create a sense of Malaysian-ism for an individual or to alter the meaning or tone of a sentence (to stress a point, persuade, show an acceptance of an offer, show agreement or admittance, or to soften a brusque reply). plus, pray to Allah that those who r responsible for th death wil accept th biggest punishment in th world . In the sentence above, the blogger refers to God as â€Å"Allah†. This is due to her cultural background i.e. being a Muslim. Usually, Muslims tend to refer to God as â€Å"Allah† because that is the term used to refer to God in the Muslim holy book, the Al-Quran. Many Muslims grow up having to learn and read the book, as well as go for religious classes; all of which influences each and every one of them in terms used to refer to religious matters including the name for God. maybe theres hikmah in all of this . Here, the blogger uses the term â€Å"hikmah† to bring about the meaning of â€Å"silver lining†. The Malay language term was chosen and used most probably because of the cultural background (being a Malay) of the blogger herself, where this term is used more often as compared to the English language equivalent. In addition to that, the Malay term is preferred most probably due to the meaning it produces the English translation of the term does not fully explain and carry the meaning of the term as compared to Malay. First attempt to insert a new stick†¦patah . Here the blogger code-switches from English to Malay in one of her entries. This term is widely used in the Malay language, as well as Colloquial Malaysian English where it is used to mean anything that is â€Å"broken†. In the context of this entry, the blogger uses the term to refer to her ruined hand fan. wae-yo saranghae-yo!! This particular blogger code-switches from English to Korean in one of the entries. Although she is not Korean by heritage, she is interested in Korean culture and this is proven by her statement â€Å"i guess some of you already know of my fondness for all things Korean e.g. dramas, songs, actors, singers, food etc. therefore i wont say much.† Due to the nature of the topic discussed in this particular entry (related to the Korean culture, specifically music), the blogger chooses to code-switch between English and Korean, although only at word level, most probably because she is not proficient in the language. †¦listen to my plead of untaggin moi . This particular blogger as seen here, code-switches from English to French. There is no apparent reason as to why she code-switches in this context, although it can be deduced that she has had some kind of exposure to the French language to be able to code-switch freely. In addition to that, she might have chosen to code-switch in this context to create more emphasis on herself. Im trying to earn money to pay for my cravings for oyster mee suah . The blogger code-switches from English to Chinese in this particular entry, where the term â€Å"mee suah† is used, used to refer to a popular dish among the Chinese community. Due to the inexistence of the term in English, the blogger chooses to use the Chinese term to illustrate the concept. However, only people whom are familiar with the Chinese language and/or dishes would be able to relate and fully comprehend the bloggers thoughts and points. Uncle, please hor . In this sentence, the blogger inserts a Chinese discourse particle in an English phrase. The insertion of this term is to indicate a mode or sense of sarcasm as well as emphasis, where in this context the blogger is being sarcastic to a Chinese cab driver who was very rude to her. I busy ma . This particular blogger inserts the Chinese discourse particle â€Å"ma† at the end of her sentence. It is slot in at the end to stress her point, as well as a reminder to others that she was busy at the referred point in time. Stupidnya The suffix â€Å"-nya† from the Malay language is used very commonly among Malaysians of all race and cultural background not just when using Malay but also English. Here, the suffix is inserted alongside English words (usually adjectives, as seen in the example above). This is frequently done to put emphasis on the state of something or someone at a certain point of time. The usage of this suffix, in addition to other examples, tends to create a truly Malaysian feeling as only Malaysians tend to use the â€Å"-nya† suffix in this unique manner. 5.4 Inter-language code-switching at sentence level Habis cerita . As seen here, the blogger ends her primarily English language entry with this Malay utterance. In the context of this entry, the blogger used this phrase in substitution of â€Å"None of this would have happened† or â€Å"Problem solved†. This popular Malay phrase is used quite commonly among Malaysians to create a meaning close to â€Å"Not having so many problems†. The blogger probably chose to use the Malay phrase not only because she is Malay, but because the English equivalent to the phrase may not provide the exact intended meaning as compared to the Malay phrase. Soy Estudiante de Espana ! This particular blogger starts off her entry in Spanish, but continues in English, further explaining that she would be sitting for her Spanish examination later on that morning, which clarifies the reason as to why she code-switches from English to Spanish in this particular entry. Tiap-tiap hari lepas habis buka puasa mesti kemas rumah . For this particular entry, the blogger starts off in Malay and continues her post in English. Here it may be because of the nature of the situation itself where the practice of â€Å"Buka Puasa† is a Malay/Islamic culture, so the writer chooses to express this statement in the Malay language to make her point, as the custom of â€Å"Buka Puasa† is somewhat related to â€Å"kemas rumah† i.e. cleaning the house in preparation for the Hari Raya celebrations. aku tak tau knape†¦. aku sgt curious nk tau wether†¦ Although this blog is primarily written in English, this particular entry was in Malay with a few English words inserted here and there. The main reason as to why this entry was written in the Malay language is most probably due to the nature of the topic discussed in the entry: related to religion. Islam is almost always associated with the Malay language because the religion itself is taught in Malay, with translations of Arab phrases and terms into Malay. Thus, when one talks about matters relating to Islam, the use of Malay is, more of than not, preferred even by individuals who are generally proficient in the English language. Tidur, makan, TV, mahjong . This particular blogger does not code-switch as often as compared to the other five bloggers, except on certain occasions only. In this entry the blogger code-switches form English to Malay, albeit for one sentence only. She most probably did this to emphasize the activities that she had been busy with i.e. sleeping, eating, watching TV and playing ‘mahjong (a board game popular among the Chinese) all of which are forms of relaxation, which is something that is quite often regarded as being part of truly Malaysian. 6. Conclusion â€Å"Along with physical appearance and cultural characteristics, language is part of what distinguishes one nation from another† Finegan, Edward (2004) The varieties of English used in all six blogs range anywhere from standard to non-standard or colloquial, as well as grammatical to ungrammatical. In addition to that, other languages are also used alongside English in various entries of all the blogs. These languages include Chinese, Malay, Korean, French and Spanish. The code-switching that takes place in these blogs are not only at word level but also at the sentence level. In some instances, whole entries are in a different language altogether, with a few English words inserted in between lines. There are many reasons as to why code-switching occur in all the blogs researched. In some instances, it may be due to the individual trying to draw attention to something significant regarding certain matters. Here, when a person attempts to emphasize something that is regarded important and needs to be highlighted, code-switching happens either from English to the individuals mother tongue or in certain cases, from English to a foreign language(s). Another reason is as to why code-switching occurs in these blogs is the desire of an individual to stand out among many others. In this case, a person may use certain expressions and phrases which automatically include or exclude selected speech communities. These expressions and phrases may be within English itself where an individual may switch form a certain variety of English to another, or between a dominant language (English, in this context) to another. It is interesting to point out that all the blogs chosen for the purpose of this research were written by individuals who are quite proficient in English. This in mind, one would assume that the possible code-switching that might take place would not be as extensive as what is seen here. However this notion was proven wrong, as most individuals are affected by other languages existing around them in one way or another. In a multilingual context such as in Malaysia, it is clear that the assumption by Adler (1977, p.154) that when one learns â€Å"a language in his home country, and learns it well, he will be affected by it to some extent†. Case in point where the blogs that were analysed all had numerous instances of code-switching from English to ones mother tongue (Chinese and Malay). Here, it is apparent that ones cultural background affects ones speech not only verbally but also in written from. Smedleys (2006) claim where he argues that â€Å"†¦switching is not merely a product of how speakers attend to the orderly production of conversation, but also a product of how they attend to the inherent heteroglossic nature of language and exploit their linguistic repertoire maximally to make their communication as effective as possible, and to construct and negotiate multiple identities† is also proven right in this research. When an individual attempts to make a point clear or highlight a certain matter in argument, code-switching occurs. Knowledge of more than one language helps one to bring out the intended meaning of something during an argument, where it is presumed that with the use of more than one language, meanings can be emphasized and made clear. As a result, communication is made more effective. Smedley (2006) also claims that code-switching also occurs due to the desire of an individual â€Å"to construct and negotiate multiple identities†. Here, an individual is seen as wanting to bring out more than what is seen by others around them. For example, an individual who is able to speak and write in grammatically correct and Standard English tries to bring out more than what meets the eye. There is a desire to reveal a different side of the person, working more like an alter ego References Adler, Max K. (1977). Collective and individual bilingualism: A sociolinguistic study. Hamburg: Helmut Buske Verlag Hamburg. Afendras, Evangelos A. (Ed.). (1980). Patterns of bilingualism. Singapore: Singapore University Press. Bilingualism: An Overview. (n.d.). Retrieved November 18, 2008, from http://psych.colorado.edu/~colunga/P7215/overview.pdf Blog. (2008). Retrieved November 18, 2008, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blog Code-switching. (2008). Retrieved November 18, 2008, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Code-switching Duran, Luisa. Toward a better understanding of code switching and interlanguage in bilinguality: Implications for bilingual instruction. Retrieved November 18, 2008, from http://ncela.gwu.edu/pubs/jeilms/vol14/duran.htm Galasso, Joseph. The development of child code-switching: Minimalist constraints and the role of checking theory. Retrieved November 18, 2008 from http://www.csun.edu/~galasso/code.pdf Hakuta, Kenji. (1986). Mirror of language: The debate on bilingiualism. New York: Basic Books, Inc. Haugen, Einar. (1987). Blessings of Babel: Bilingualism and language planning. Berlin: Mouton de Gruyter. Heller, Monica. (Ed.). (1988). Codeswitching: Anthropological and sociolinguistic perspectives. Berlin: Mouton de Gruyter. Heredia, Roberto R. Brown, Jeffrey M. Code-switching. Retrieved November 18, 2008, from http://www.tamiu.edu/~rheredia/switch.htm Huffaker, D. A. Calvert, S. L. (2005). Gender, identity, and language use in teenage blogs. In Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication, 10 (2), article 1. Retrieved November 18, 2008, from http://jcmc.indiana.edu/vol10/issue2/huffaker.html Lipski, John M. Code-switching or borrowing? No sà © so no puedo decir, you know. Retrieved November 18, 2008, from http://www.lingref.com/cpp/wss/2/paper1136.pdf MacSwan, Jeff. A minimalist approach to code switching. Retrieved November 18, 2008, from http://www.public.asu.edu/~macswan/5.pdf MacSwan, Jeff. The architecture of the bilingual language faculty: Evidence from intrasentential code switching. Retrieved November 18, 2008, from hpp://www.public.asu.edu/~macswan/Bilingualism.pdf Marasigan, Elizabeth. (1983). Code-switching and code-mixing in multilingual societies. Singapore: Singapore University Press. Maya Khemlani David. (Ed.). (2006). Language choices and discourse of Malaysian families. Malaysia: Strategic Information and Research Development Centre. Maya Khemlani David Karen Kow Yip Cheng. (Eds.). (2008). Politeness in Malaysian family talk. Malaysia: Penerbit Universiti Putra Malaysia. Multilingualism. (2008). Retrieved November 18, 2008, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multilingualism Nilep, Chad. â€Å"Code switching† in sociocultural linguistics. Retrieved November 18, 2008, from http://www.colorado.edu/ling/CRIL/volume19_Issue1/paper_NILEP.pdf Paradis, Michel. (Ed.). (1978). Aspects of bilingualism. South Carolina: Hornbeam Press, Incorporated. Paulston, Christina Bratt. (Ed.). (1988). International handbook of bilingualism and bilingual education. Connecticut: Greenwood Press. Poplack, Shana. (2004). Code-switching. Retrieved November 18, 2008, from http://www.sociolinguistics.uottawa.ca/shanapoplack/pubs/articles/Poplack2004.pdf Smedley, Frank P. Code-switching and identity on the blogs: An analysis of Taglish in computer mediated communication. Retrieved November 18, 2008, from http://aut.researchgateway.ac.nz/handle/10292/186 Stefanie Pillai. (2008). Speaking English the Malaysian way correct or not?. English Today.24 (4), 42-45. Suojanen, Pà ¤ivikki. Aspects of identity: Rights and obligations of ethnic groups. Retrieved November 18, 2008, from http://www.njas.helsinki.fi.pdf-files/vol1num2/suojanen.pdf Van Gelderen, Elly Macswan, Jeff. Interface conditions and code-switching: Pronouns, lexical DPs, and checking theories. Retrieved November 18, 2008, from http://www.public.asu.edu/~gelderen/elly-jeff-CS.pdf Appendix Blogger 1 (Malay writer), taken from http://littlecharmvinyls.blogspot.com/ and http://zsazubir.blogspot.com/ Blogger 2 (Malay writer) taken from http://sy4h33r4h.blog.friendster.com/ Blogger 3 (Malay writer) taken from http://juzshahidah.blogspot.com/ Blogger 4 (Chinese writer) taken from http://ling3586.blogspot.com/ Blogger 5 (Chinese writer) taken from http://mandychockjy.blogspot.com/ Blogger 6 (Chinese writer) taken from http://evonhooi.blogspot.com/

Essential Amino Acids as Ergogenic Aids :: Health Medical Research Papers

Amino Acids Amino acids are considered the building blocks of proteins. Breaking down protein will yield 22 known amino acids. There are three types of amino acids. These are indispensable(essential), conditionally dispensable, and dispensable. Conditionally dispensable amino acids can be synthesized from other amino acids by our bodies. Dispensable amino acids are considered non-essential. Amino acids are "one of the six basic nutrients our body needs". Essential Amino Acids acids are central to our discussion with regards to their use in weightlifting and training. httg:///www.kaiwan.com/-fitnessalaacid.html (hftp://www.thelinx.com/healthy/aminoacd.htm#valine) (hftp://www.getbig.com/articies/protein.htm) The Essential Amino Acids Of 22 amino acids, 8 or 9, are considered essential because our bodies can't manufacture them. These are tryptophan, lysine, methione, phenylalaine, threonine, valine, leucine, isoleucine, and histadine. Leucine "serves as a substrate for muscle metabolism during periods of cellular energy depletion" and promotes healing of the skin and broken bones as well as improving alertness. Tryptophan, whose benefits include calming, stimulating the release of growth hormones, and cholesterol reduction, is the only essential amino acid whose free form is not currently available in the U.S. lsoleucine helps in the formation of hemoglobin and is used by the muscles for energy. Valine, which promotes muscle coordination, remains unprocessed by the liver allowing it to go directly to muscles. Histadine dilates blood vessels, helps to alleviate symptoms of arthritis and ulcers, and helps in the production of red and white blood cells. Lysine builds new body tissue and bone, enhances fertility, improves concentration, and may be an effective treatment for certain forms of herpes. Methione reduces fat and protects the kidneys and may also reduces cholesterol levels. Phenylalaine serves to reduce hunger pains, helps in the production of Norepinephrine and collagen, and improves memory and alertness. Threonine assists in metabolism and assimilation, prevents fatty build-up in the liver, and is a component of collagen. (http://www.nutrimart.com/amnoinfo.htm) (http://www.betterbodz.com/suppl/leucine.htmi) (http://www.getbig.com/articles/protein.htm) (http://www.thelinx.com/healthylaminoacd.htm#valine) Branched Chain Amino Acids (BCAAS) Studies indicate that the presence of branched chain amino acids (leucine, isoleucine, and valine) after training is "critical for recovery" If they are ingested before exercise they may "alter hormonal responses to high intensity exercise". BCAA supplementation occurring during the exercise may have several health benefits, including "improved physiological and psychological responses to endurance exercise". BCAA's can compromise up to thirty-five percent of muscle tissue and a lack of any one of the three can "result in a decrease in muscle strength and tone"(Nature's Pantry Free Pamphlet).

The American Prohibition of Alcohol in the 1920s Essay -- American Hi

The American Prohibition of Alcohol in the 1920's The prohibition of alcohol in the United States lasted from 1920 until 1932. The movement began in the late nineteenth century, and was fueled by the formation of the Anti-Saloon League in 1893 (Why Prohibition?). This league and other anti-alcohol organizations, began to succeed in establishing local prohibition laws. By the 1920's prohibition was a national effort. The prohibition movement was aimed primarily at closing saloons. Saloons were the brewing companies place in retail business, selling alcohol by the glass. In the early twentieth century, there was one saloon for every one-hundred fifty or two-hundred Americans. This competitiveness forced saloon keepers to find other ways to make money. By the 1920's saloons had become houses of gambling and prostitution, not the innocent, friendly bar we associate the word with today (Why Prohibition?). The prohibition advocates found such establishments offensive, and sought to revoke their licenses. The National Prohibition Act was added to the United States Constitution on January 16th, 1920 (The Eighteenth Amendment). The Eighteenth Amendment to the Constitution prohibits the illegal manufacturing or selling of alcohol. There were only two ways to legally obtain alcohol under the prohibition laws. Religious groups were granted the right to obtain alcohol for sacramental purposes, and doctors were permitted to write prescriptions (Medicinal Alcohol). People have believed in medicinal benefits of alcohol since ancient times, using it to cure snake bites and control disease. Even though the belief has begun to dwindle in the early twentieth century, alcohol was legally manufactured for medic... ...ter. â€Å"Prohibition.† http://www.detektivroman.de/forum/_disc3/0000004d.htm: May 2002. This site has good statistical information about Capone and other Chicago gangs during the 1920s. â€Å"Medicinal Alcohol.† http://prohibition.history.ohio‑state.edu/Medicinal_Alcohol.htm. This site gives a brief history (very brief) of the beliefs in medicinal alcohol. â€Å"The Eighteenth Amendment and the National Prohibition Act.† http://www.druglibrary.org/schaffer/Library/studies/wick/wick1.html This site gives a detailed analysis of the National Prohibition Act. â€Å"Speakeasy.† http://hotwired.lycos.com/cocktail/links/speakeasy.html: Lycos, 2002. This site gives a quick idea of what a speakeasy was. â€Å"Why Prohibition?† http://prohibition.history.ohio‑state.edu/whyprohibition.htm: November, 2002. This site gives a history of the prohibition movement.

Online Newspapers Over Dinner -- Internet Web News Essays

Online Newspapers Over Dinner From accessing newspapers without a subscription to searching for articles and being able to find them with a simple click of a mouse, online newspapers have increasingly evolved over the past decade, through their convenient sources and new innovations. The following discusses these developments and the reasons for popularity and also includes a fictional dinner conversation between experts on these types of publications. My thoughts of this new media are also explored before and after researching the topic. A drop of sweat trickles down my cheek as I race through my house finalizing plans for the elegant dinner party. Experts from all across the United States will convene at my residence for dinner, socialization, and discussion of online newspapers. Not only have I spent weeks scrubbing every white linoleum tile in my kitchen and waxing all the wooden floors in the house, especially in the dining room, but I also bought a lavish chandelier with glistening crystals hanging down from its frame and porcelain china for a pleasurable dining experience. Actually preparing the food became an entire separate crisis. I knew some of the authors were vegetarians, lactose intolerant, or simply possessed picky eating habits, so I arranged for six different entrà ©es for the guests to choose from in order to satisfy their hunger. I had never gone so far out of my way to please other people, and I prayed that all my hard work and consideration would pay off. My anticipation and anxiety woul d soon be settled in less than an hour. By 6:55, five minutes before expected, my first guests arrived. Shannon E. Martin and Kathleen A. Hansen entered my home, displaying typical librarian and p... ... since the various articles have to be clicked on continuously instead of simply opening to the desired section and they cannot be carried around. Everyone’s eyes widened and mouths dropped even at the conclusion of his ideals, as no one knew exactly what to say next. Finally, as everyone began shouting his or her own ideas and beliefs, a subtle debate turned into a verbal war. Then, Katz, sat up, thanked me for my hospitality, and proceeded to walk out the door, start up his motorcycle and leave. Again, the same eerie silence plagued the room and gradually, each person changed conversation topics over a white chocolate cheesecake and hazelnut coffee. About an hour later, all my guests began to leave for the evening. Exhausted and overwhelmed by the evening’s events, I sat at the kitchen in awe and wondering how I would ever form an opinion of online newspapers.

Public Speaking, Fears and Concerns.

Fears and Concerns about Public Speaking Fears and Concerns about Public Speaking There are many things in this world that one can have a fear of. One could be scared of bugs, the dark, or heights; but a major fear is the fear of having to speak in public. In everyday life public speaking is necessary, whether it be in a social or professional setting. My biggest fears and concerns about public speaking are being the center of attention, rejection, and failure. Being the center of attention can be very nerve racking.Are they judging the way I am dressed or the way I present myself? Are they paying attention to what I have to say? Or even, what will they think of me when I am done my presentation? Lastly, can I stop my nervous habits long enough to finish my presentation? These are all questions that run through my head that could easily distract me from actually presenting in the way I would like too. At some point everyone has to be concerned about rejection. This is also one of my main fears and concerns.The fact that not everyone will agree with, or accept, the point I am trying to portray. Maybe they just will not care or give me the time of day, and maybe even try to conflict with what I have to say. Then it will feel like I have wasted my time to come up with a presentation just to be ridiculed. No one ever thinks to themselves that they want to be a failure. My fears could distract me from delivering my presentation in the way I would like. I could stutter, forget what to say, or just not be as well prepared as I thought.This would all lead to a miserable presentation failure. Would I ever gain respect of my audience again? I do not want to be thought of as a failure. That is probably my worst concern about public speaking. With all kinds of fears and concerns about public speaking, it is difficult to think that one could get over them to go on to become a great public speaker. I would like to get over my fears so that I can continue through life with no concerns. I feel it will take time and practice but with the help of this class as well, I can be on my way to being a great public speaker.

Is it Right for the Government to Accept the Fine Now? Essay

The notion of free will is important when deciding whether the government should accept the fine now or later. Free will suggests that human beings are autonomous and are therefore free to decide how to live their lives. This includes decisions, such as John’s, about whether to speed drive or not. However, the governmental officials are human as well and therefore also possess free will. If John is considered a free agent capable of being free than it must also be assumed that government officials, also free agents, are also capable of being free. One caveat that accompanies free will is moral responsibility. Ultimately, this is what this entire case centers on. Is it right for the government to accept the fine before John commits a speed driving offense? This question will explored further as it relates to free will as well as how it relates to personal identity and mind body ideas. The government does not have the right to accept the fine prior to the speed driving offense. Whether or not it is known that John will speed drive tomorrow is not really the issue in this case. The issue is that the government should not accept that a person is going to commit a crime and accept a fine for it before it occurs but rather the government should rely on their sense of free will in order to stop the crime from happening in the first place. The capacity for the government to have free will also means that the government has a moral responsibility to society to ensure that John does not speed drive tomorrow. Further, if John is going to disappear forever after he speed drives anyway, is it really necessary to accept the fine and hope that this punishment deters John in the future? The mind body principle emphasizes that all human beings have a physical body as well as the capacity to think, feel and remember. This idea is connected to the idea of free will because human beings go beyond their biological characteristics to become creatures who want certain things, hate certain things and think about certain things in different ways. Therefore, there is a scientific reason that can explain why John may choose to speed tomorrow just as there is a scientific reason why the government may choose to accept the fine before the crime. Similarly, there are also internal reasons why these choices may be made that have more to do with feelings and thoughts than biological processes. This is the heart of Descartes famous phrase, â€Å"I think, therefore I am. † In other words, the way that human beings choose to operate and conduct themselves are direct results of the ability to think. This brings up a very important point with regards to punishing John for a future event. Perhaps John will use his mind to decide that his moral responsibility entails his decision to not speed after all. If John decides that his capacity for free will obligates him to refrain from speeding, then the government would be wrong in their acceptance of a fine before the crime was committed. Finally, philosophical behaviorists believe that human beings rely on their minds to behave in reaction to their physical environment. If this is the case, then John may still change his mind about speeding, but more likely John will go ahead and speed in response to the physical environment that accepted a fine for a future crime. In other words, John will go ahead and speed because he had already been punished for the crime so nothing was stopping him from doing it. Under personal identity theories, Thomas Reid suggests that just because human beings have the capacity to remember events does not mean that these events happened to them. Further, he suggests that if human beings cannot remember something that happened a week ago, does this mean they have become another person? This has direct relevance to this case because it can be assumed that if the government knows someone is planning to commit a crime they can get the punishment out of the way before the crime is even committed. This brings up a larger issue. Will punishing humans before they commit a crime truly deter them from that future crime or will it produce a drastic change in society based on the notion that if punishment has already been served then the crime is an accepted part of society? While it is certainly logical to conclude that punishing someone before the crime occurs may produce a safer society, it is also logical to conclude that this type of justice system will create a crime laden distrustful society. For example, if the government finds out that John will be speeding in order to find his next victim to murder they may lock him in prison before the crime can occur. This will, conceivably, produce a safer society. However, it will, at the same time, create a society where human beings accept criminal activity provided that punishment is handed down before the crime. Ultimately, the government has no right to punish John for a speeding offense that will occur tomorrow. Personal identity is important here because it provides an outlet for John to make a different decision and obey the posted speed limit after all. In the end, the government could hand down a fine for a future speeding offense, but would this truly deter any future crime? The most logical answer is no because without punishing the mind of the criminal, then the punishment ultimately means very little. The capacity to have free will means that John is unlikely to change his behavior even if he is punished. Further, just because John will disappear after he speeds does not mean he ceases to exist just because this government can no longer see him. John will continue to exist in another place and his mind will ensure him that if he pays his fine for speeding then that offense will be accepted and he will be welcome to speed whenever he wants to. According to the idea of free will, the government would be more successful if they were to teach John why he should not speed and provide him with compelling reasons to refrain from doing so. John’s internal human desire to please those in authority would win out thus being more effective in curbing the potential for speeding behavior. Finally, free will does not mean John is allowed to speed nor does it mean that the government can punish John before he speeds. It does mean that John is free to drive wherever and whenever he wants to but the government is free to punish him if he does not obey the rules of the road.

Orion Shield Project Case Essay

In this paper, The Orion Shield Project is critically analyzed to determine how effective the project manager, Mr. Gary Allison, is in operating as leader. Specifically, the paper focuses on what technical, ethical, legal, contractual, and other managerial issues plague the success of The Orion Shield Project. The paper attempts to analyze these issues by first introducing the reader to background about the project, and then moving into a deeper discussion of every one of the previously mentioned issues. Due to the individuals he works with and the differing situations he is placed, Mr. Allison must make difficult decisions at every corner. After examining the project, it is found that Mr. Allison can improve his responses to these issues by accounting for the complexities of dealing with technology, becoming more solid in his ethical stance, understanding law and contracts and how they relate to the project, and connecting better with his team. Introduction There are many nuances to project management which can negatively affect a manager or project. The Orion Shield Project exemplifies why proper management is integral to any successful project. The project is a venture that NASA is promoting in order to improve the structural capabilities of the Shuttle Launch Booster. The prime contractor that NASA is using for this project is the Space Technologies Institute (STI), who put out a request for proposal (RFP) for a subcontractor to help with this project. SEC won the bid to become the subcontractor on this project, and the Director of Engineering, Mr. Henry Larsen, appointed Mr. Gary Allison as the project manager (The Orion Shield Project, 2003). As The Orion Shield Project advances, many issues arise which forces Mr. Allison to make difficult decisions. In this paper, I will critically analyze the issues Mr. Allison faces while managing The Orion Shield Project. In critically examining the way The Orion Shield Project is handled, I wi ll touch on the technical,  ethical, legal, contractual, and other management issues faced by Mr. Allison and analyze both his positive and negative actions in an effort to gain a better understanding of how project management plays a role in the outcome of this project. Technical Issues The Orion Shield Project gives rise to many technical issues which Mr. Allison has to navigate as he manages the project. The technical issues that specifically alter the integrity of the project are incapable components and a poorly designed test matrix. Incapable components present issues all throughout the project, with the most glaring problems occurring in the beginning and end of the project. The original technical specification that STI listed in their RFP was that all components must be able to operate efficiently between temperature ranges of -65 degrees F to 145 degrees F (The Orion Shield Project, 2003). This was an issue for the SEC project because testing within the company shows that their current component design would not function above 130 degrees F, and that the requirements would not be able to be met without different materials (The Orion Shield Project, 2003). This creates an issue for a bevy of reasons, including throwing off the timeline, the amount of resource s used, and commitments to stakeholders. While performing final tests on the component as the project was coming to a close it was found that the product was again not up to the specifications requested in the RFP. The purpose of The Orion Shield Project was to get the Shuttle Launch Booster to support an age life of at least 9 years, and after testing it was found that the age life would most likely be less than 5 years. This is actually less than what the original component NASA was using lasted, which was 6 years (The Orion Shield Project, 2003). Both of these points in the project are technical issues Mr. Allison is responsible for overcoming as project manager of The Orion Shield Project. In addition to the aforementioned technical issues, Mr. Allison also deals with a test matrix in the technical volume of the proposal which will not produce acceptable results. The test matrix is â€Å"an effective way of recording the coverage of the scope delivered† (Boyde, 2012, p. 701). From  this matrix, you should be able to tell what has been implemented, what has yet to be implemented, and what was determined to be out of scope for the current milestone release (Boyde, 2012, p. 701). Realizing the importance of the test matrix, Mr. Allison echoes his concern to his Chief Project Engineer Ms. Paula Arnold, who warned him around changing the test matrix and scope of the work. This would in turn affect the cost of the project which is not viable due to the nature of the contract that SEC is working under. Instead of addressing this issue up front and trying to find a way to trim some work off downstream to keep the budget manageable, Mr. Allison pushes on for three more weeks until the test matrix and research results are ultimately deemed unacceptable. This puts Mr. Allison and his team in a deeper hole and extends their timeline, while also projecting a sense of disarray when meeting with their stakeholders. In analyzing this project, it seems that the technical issues Mr. Allison was faced with while managing The Orion Shield Project amounted to three major sources, technology interdependence, technology novelty, and external factors. Technology interdependence refers to requirement of different expertise to perfect a final product (Hussein, Pigagaite & Silva, 2014, p. 706). One of the difficult duties that comes with managing is understanding how different elements of a project interact with each other, and how to get the elements to work together in an efficient manner. If Mr. Al lison got better with technology interdependencies, he would have been able to establish a more effective test matrix. Technology novelty is one of the biggest culprits for the technical issues Mr. Allison faced in The Orion Shield Project. Technology novelty refers to the idea that â€Å"no matter how much planning you do beforehand, when you assemble a final product – or even a part of it – testing will always reveal problems† (Hussein, Pihahaite & Silva, 2014, p. 706). In production, you should always assume that something can, and will go wrong. In reading The Orion Shield Project case, its glares out that Mr. Allison does not have a contingency plan built it, and did not allow himself enough time to tinker with the project to get it right. This in turn led to a lot of sleepless, stressful nights and still an insufficient, unacceptable product and project. The final sources of technical issues which are found to be relevant to Mr. Allison’s management case are external factors. Factors such as pressure from Mr. Larsen to force SEC into The Orion Shield Project and pressure from Ms. Sarah Wilson, a representative from STI, to stick to the schedule SEC proposed, led to many of the poor technical decisions Mr. Allison makes. Mr. Larsen’s pressure on The Orion Shield Project leads to Mr. Allison making false promises and trying to cover his traces throughout the entire project. This in turn leads to a strained relationship with Ms. Wilson, who pushes Mr. Allison to take on more of an administrative role, instead of the research focused position he prefers. In the end, Mr. Allison could have mitigated all of the external issues by maintaining a strict ethical code in his actions, which delves into the ethical issues he faces in managing this project. Ethical Issues Out of all the issues presented in The Orion Shield Project, the ethical issues seem to be the most devastating to the success of the project. The specific moments in which ethical issues arise all seem to occur within some type of interaction with Mr. Larsen. The first and most important of which occurs when Mr. Allison raises concerns with Mr. Larsen about the specifications that STI put out for the components. Mr. Larsen’s response to this concern was to lie to STI and express in the proposal that SEC had the capabilities to make a component that would go above and beyond the specifications required. Specifically, Mr. Larsen advocated that Mr. Allison say that SEC had a component design that would operate at up to 155 degrees F in hopes of later cornering STI into accepting the actual specifications that the SEC component could handle. Deceiving a partner about what you can provide them just to earn a contract or project is unethical on many levels. In an article written by Dr. Thomas Mengel (2006), communication between project stakeholders and project management is found to be extremely important. The article goes further to say that â€Å"project managers need to comprehensively determine the impact of any decision to be made† (Mengel, 2006, p. 230). Mr. Allison did not think this situation with Mr. Larsen all the way through, and because of that not only did technical issues arise,  but an ethical one as well. An ethical issue which Mr. Allison also has to deal with is the testing of new materials without his knowledge. After Ms. Wilson met with Mr. Allison and displayed her angst with how the administrative side of the project was going, Mr. Allison focuses more of his time and effort with the administrative tasks. This gives Mr. Larsen time to move in and work with Ms. Arnold on a new material, using more STI money in the process when the contract and Ms. Wilson specifically state that SEC would bear all costs of additional research beyond the original scope of work (The Orion Shield Project, 2003). It is understandable that Mr. Larsen is Mr. Allison’s boss and he does not always need to tell him what he is doing, but with a venture as big as this and with Mr. Allison being the project manager and the one ultimately responsible for results, it seems ethical to discuss these major decisions. One way Mr. Allison could have addressed this issue could have occurred before agreeing to accept this position and project. While Mr. Larsen was originally describing the position to Mr. Allison, Mr. Allison could have requested to include ethic checks in decision making processes and to â€Å"define a joint process and mutually agreeable criteria for ethical decision making† (Mengel, 2006, p . 231). This would help Mr. Allison set parameters around his interactions with Mr. Larsen. He could then use these well-defined parameters as a basis to disagree with an action or even refuse an action Mr. Larsen proposes if unethical. In failing to do so, Mr. Allison allows these unethical procedures to ultimately fall on his shoulders. An ethical issue which falls directly on the shoulders of Mr. Allison occurs when he withholds information from upper management about the short age life of the component near the end of the project. The ethical dilemma is clear here and could have far reaching damages for both SEC and STI. Mr. Allison should have told upper management as soon as testing shows the shorter age life of the component. No matter how difficult it is, maintaining an ethical code is essential to the proper management of not only projects but organizations as well. Legal & Contractual Issues The Orion Shield Project exposes SEC to a variety of legal issues, some coming from managements own unethical actions and many more coming from  contractual complications. The initial legal issue that arises from The Orion Shield Project occurs when SEC responds to the RFP issued by STI. When Mr. Larsen requests for Mr. Allison to make the proposal reflect that SEC’s component can operate at up to 155 degrees F, when in actuality it cannot operate above 130 degrees F, SEC breaches the RFP contract. At first glance you may not think a RFP is legally binding, but according to legal precedent it is. In the 1981 case of R. (Ontario) V. Ron Engineering, it was found that RFP’s are part of a two part contract, and that they are the bidding portion of the contract. What this means is that once a proposal is presented in response to a RFP, both sides are now legally tied to the contract and must abide by the terms stipulated in that proposal (The Legal Implications,† 20 12). In providing false promises in their proposal, Mr. Allison and SEC open themselves up to sanctions and being sued. Mr. Allison and SEC also open themselves up for legal action when they breach the firm-fixed-price (FFP) contract they agreed to with STI. As defined by Charles Russell Jr. and Susan Moser (2009) in Firm-Fixed-Price Contracting: The time and Materials Requirements Dilemma, a FFP is â€Å"a completion contract,† which means that â€Å"profit or fee is earned by the delivery of end items† (p.46). FFP’s also carry fixed prices and leave little room for adjustments as the project moves along. The fixed price and the need to make adjustments as the project went along are what opened SEC up to legal action. Ms. Wilson from STI specifically mentioned that after the first test matrix failed and a new one was developed, all additional research and development would be at the expense of SEC. But, when Mr. Larsen and Ms. Arnold began developing the new material for the component they used STI funding for it. This again was a breach of contract, and by not addressing this is sue Mr. Allison left SEC vulnerable to being dropped from the contract and sued for the wrong use of project funding. One way Mr. Allison could have avoided this situation would be to push for a different type of contract from STI for The Orion Shield Project. In an article written by Frank Kendall (2013) on the uses of FFP contracts, the restricting nature of the contract is described in great detail. Kendall describes how FFP contracts tend to restrict flexibility as contractors  learn more â€Å"about what is feasible and affordable as well as what needs to be done to achieve a design that meets requirements during a product’s design and testing phases† (Kendall, 2013, p. 2). Mr. Allison experiences this dilemma all too much as he runs The Orion Shield Project. A FFP contract was the perfect contract for STI; FFP contracts offer the lowest risk to the buyer due to the fact that it is not subject to any cost adjustments resulting from contractors carrying out the project (Russell Jr. & Moser, 2009, p.47). Instead of agreeing to such a rigid contract when you know your component will need multiple tests to meet specifications, SEC and Mr. Allison should have instead pushed for a more flexible contract like a time-and-materials (T&M) contract. A time and materials contract can be used when the duration, extent of effort, and costs associated with a project are generally unknown up front (Russell Jr. & Moser, 2009, p. 47). This contract would be more beneficial to SEC and Mr. Allison specifically when he changes the test matrix, and has to find new materials and incur more costs to complete the project. In the end, Mr. Allison mishandles many issues which leave himself and SEC vulnerable to legal action, luckily no such action occurs. Other Management Issues Separate from the main issues discussed earlier in this paper, there are also other, more managerial issues. The two other management issues that are present in The Orion Shield Project are staffing concerns and employee motivation. Mr. Allison’s first dilemma while working The Orion Shield Project is finding the staff he wants to help him with the venture. He is not given top priority in picking his staff, which make it difficult to get the key people necessary to ensure a smoothly run project. Many managers do not want to give up their main people, but with the help of Mr. Larsen he finds an â€Å"adequate† staff to fill in (The Orion Shield Project, 2003). This puts Mr. Allison in a dilemma because he does not have the option of working with the people he feels most comfortable with. Being uncomfortable while leading a project can do nothing but have negative effects on results. This also leads to Mr. Allison putting the burden of doing most of the work on his self, instead of leveraging his team better. Since this is a situation most project managers will have to deal with on their first project, Mr.  Allison could have done a better job utilizing his staff to create more positive project results. As The Orion Shield Project progresses, many of the members of the project team lose motivation to work on the project. The lack of team motivation came from the teams dissipating trust in Mr. Allison and the plans they were told would be final. Also, a lack of communication leads to heightened tension between the team. As Dorothy Ann Brenner (2007) points out in a recent article, communication, no matter what the form, helps with team chemistry and â€Å"gives them a clearer idea of their roles and what is expected of them so they understand their goals, as well as the team’s overall goal for a successful project† (p.19). Mr. Allison’s lack of communication with his team leads to certain members feeling out of the loop and disappointed with the direction of the project. In order for the Orion Shield Project to have even had a chance of working effectively, Mr. Allison has to motivate his project team so they will give their best effort and work (Brenner, 2007, p . 16). Conclusion As The Orion Shield Project progressed from the initial proposal to the final testing, issues seemed to arise around every corner. Mr. Allison had to make serious decisions at every level of the project and unfortunately many of those decisions were the wrong ones. Mr. Allison made critical mistakes when faced with technical, ethical, legal, contractual, and other managerial issues. After analyzing The Orion Shield Project case, findings show that Mr. Allison could improve his responses to these issues by accounting for the complexities of dealing with technology, becoming more solid in his ethical stance, understanding law and contracts and how they relate to the project, and connecting better with his team. In conclusion, Mr. Allison did not perform well in his first opportunity to operate as project manager, but, with a few tweaks to his approach, he could excel if he ever wanted that opportunity again. References Boyde, J. (2012). A down-to-earth guide to SDLC project management: getting your system development life cycle project successfully accross the line using PMBOK– in an adaptive way. S.l.: CreateSpace Independent Pub. Platform]. Brenner, D. A. (2007). Achieving a succesful project by motivating the project team. Cost Engineering, 49(5), 16-20. Retrieved from http://eds.b.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.umuc.edu Hussein, B. A., Pigagaite, G., & Silva, P. P. (2014). Identifying and dealing with complexities in new product and process development projects. Procedia Social and Behavioral Sciences , doi: 10.1016/j.sbspro.2014.03.078 Kendall, F. (2013). Use of fixed-price incentive firm (fpif) contracts in development and production. Defense AT&L, 42(2), Retrieved from http://eds.b.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.umuc.edu Legal Implications of Issuing RFP. (2012, January 1). Rss. Retrieved April 16, 2014, from https://www.winwithoutpitching.com/legal-implications-of-issuing-rfp Mengel, T. (2006). Project management ethics: Responsibility, values, and ethics in project environments. AMA Handbook of Project Management, 227-235. Retrieved from http://eds.b.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.umuc.edu/eds/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=1ba019be-81fb-4f39-8ccd-06cfe83e33b1@sessionmgr114&vid=5&hid=107 R. (Ont.) v. Ron Engineering, (1981) 1 S.C.R. 111. Retrieved from: http://scc-csc.lexum.com/scc-csc/scc-csc/en/item/2504/index.do Russell Jr., C. A., & Moser, S. J. (2009). Firm-fixed-price contracting: The time and materials requirement dilemma. Contract Management, 49(8), 44-49. Retrieved from http://eds.a.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.umuc.edu The Orion Shield Project — HOME. (2003, January 1). The Orion Shield Project