A Sequence for Academic Writing Essay

The purpose of this website of The National Abortion and Reproductive Rights Action League (NARAL) Pro-choice America, is to to show their advocacy for the right of a woman to choose and her right to privacy with regards to reproductive health. The exclusivity of the issues tackled in this site suggest that their concern is concentrated on specific subject matters affecting the conditions of women in the society such as abortion, use of birth control, teen-pregnancy, reproductive health issues of women of color and legislation about the advancement of the right of a woman to choose. Also, the site offers different means on how women with these kind of problems can understand and take action. 2. What is the subject matter of this site? The subject matter of this site is about the right of every woman to choose and her right to privacy regarding women’s reproductive health. 3. What is the purpose of the site? The purpose of this site is to empower women about their sexuality. They aim is to promote the freedom of women to decide for themselves without being scrutinized or discriminated by the society. Also, the website provides many information about the pro-choice legislation and policies for women, research, campaigns and other advocate organizations to educate visitors about the mentioned subject matter. 4. Is this site for, against, or neutral as far as the subject matter is concerned? This site is evidently pro-choice and for the privacy of women. One of the site’s objective is the prevention of unintended pregnancies by provding women more access to birth control and sex education to lessen the occurence of abortion. But they believe that abortion should be made legal and safe to give options to women whether they want to puruse their pregnancy or not regardless of their reasons. 5. Does the site offer anything unique? Does it tell you more than you could find out in an encyclopedia? This site offers a variety of information ranging from research done by NARAL Pro-choice America to government legislations and policies. The media center of the site is composed of choice-related topics from other publications or websites such as The Buffalo News, Fox News and Colorado Springs Gazette. Other sources are background materials, quotes, and story ideas or experiences of women. 6. Did you learn anything? Was the site worth visiting? In this site, I have learned the dilemmas experienced by women particularly when it comes to their reproductive health and choices. In these kind of situations, women are torn between choosing the right thing or what is for their best interest. Moreover, this site really gives a comprehensive outlook about the fight to advance the rights of woment to choose and privacy. Visitors of this website will really have an elightening experience when they read the content. 7. If you were compiling a bibliography of sources about the subject matter of this site, would you include or exclude it from your final list? Yes, I would use this website as one my sources if I am writing a research about the subject mater because it has a single point of view which is supported by many arguments which are valid and practical. Writing Exercise 2 Analyze the Web site National Right to Life. 1. As stated on page 295 of A Sequence for Academic Writing, â€Å"Web pages generally fall into one of six types, each with a different purpose: (1) entertainment, (2) business/marketing, (3) reference/information, (4) news, (5) advocacy of a particular point of view or program, (6) personal page. † What type is this site? Why do you think this? This is an advocay website that upholds the importance and presenrvation of life. They are against any act that would endanger any human life such as abortion. 2. What is the subject matter of this site? The subject of this website is focused on protecting and giving importance to all human life. In line with this, the information contained on the website clearly suggest that the organizers, National Right to Life Committee, are opposed to abortion and issues related to medical ethics such as euthanasia and infanticide. However, the site does not tackle and does not provide any opinions or views on contraception, sex education, capital punishment, and national defense. 3. What is the purpose of the site? The purpose of this site is to encourage visitors of the website to patronize their advocacy which is to disseminate information and at the same time convince people about the negative effects of abortion, infanticide, and euthanasia to an individual and to the society 4. Is this site for, against, or neutral as far as the subject matter is concerned? This site is against the promotion, advocacy and conduct of abortion, infanticide, and euthanasia but the site also advocates the propagation of the notion that human life is valuable so any act that tries to eliminate it should be punishable by law. 5. Does the site offer anything unique? Does it tell you more than you could find out in an encyclopedia? The site of the National Right to Life Committee used different data to support their objective. Its extensive database is focused on these three aspects: abortion, infanticide, and euthanasia. The site includes other realted links from other websites as well, media press releases and current legislation updates about the subject matter. 6. Did you learn anything? Was the site worth visiting? I have learned that even though the US has a liberated culture, many citizens still possess conservative views specfically about the protection of human life whether that individual is an infant or an adult. 7. If you were compiling a bibliography of sources about the subject matter of this site, would you include or exclude it from your final list? Yes, I would definitely use this website as a bibliography source if I were to tackle the subject matter. The website contains many informative data from their own database and outside sources as wells such as information from orgazations with similar objectives, the US government and media publications. Having all these information would make my research very substatntial and extensive. Revision Activity 1 Go to: Handwriting Analysis Read the article analyzing the sample of handwriting provided. Answer the following questions regarding the analysis. 1. What is the author’s initial impression of Walter Railey’s handwriting? The analyst’s initial impression on Walter Railey’s handwriting is that Railey has self-control but his emotions are repressed. These characteristics were presumed by the analyst as an indication of having a compulsive personality. 2. What are three of the particular elements of Railey’s handwriting the author analyzes? The author analyzed the writing strokes, spaces between the letters and hand pressure which became the three major foundations in analyzing the personality of Railey. 3. What element of Railey’s handwriting does the author thinks reveals his weak self image? According to the analyst, the â€Å"diminished and sometimes near threaded middle zone, small compared to upper and lower zones, together with an insignificant and defensive ppI, represent his weak self-image† (Arnold â€Å"Walker Railey†). 4. Explain what analytical tool the author is using in order to analyze Railey’s handwriting. Is the author credible in applying this analytical tool? The author searched for patterns in Raile’s handwriting. Then, the changes in these patterns are noted and analyzed in accordance with the personality of the subject. Moreover, based on the findings, the author was able to make a detailed analysis of the handwriting indicating his/her expertise about it. Also, the patterns of the handwriting helped the author to determine the elements that would expose the individuality of Railey. 5. Once the analysis is complete the author offers a summary of his findings. Are his summary findings concurrent with his initial impressions? The summary part is the synthesis of all the findings regarding the handwriting of Railey. With regards with the concurrence of the initial impression with the summary is that both were able to provide similar information. However, in the initial impression the descriptiom is brief but in the summary it is a little bit more detailed. 6. At the end of the page you will find a link to a short biography of Walter Railey. Follow the link and read the biography. How accurate is the author’s analysis of Walter Railey’s character, based on his handwriting analysis? After reading the biography of Walker and comparing it with the results of handwriting analysis, the former made some very accurate portrayal of the real Walter Raileys. In the analysis, Railey was rendered as selfish, emotionally repressed, and having dual personality which were all apparent in his historical background. Railey was selfish because he only cared about himself and he ignored his family and friends. Also, his emotional repression was shown when he tried to kill his wife and commit suicide. More so, his dual personality was demonstrated when he was charaterized as a charismatic religous leader and also as a controlling and indifferent individual. Revision Activity 1 Go to: Handwriting Analysis Read the article analyzing the sample of handwriting provided. Answer the following questions regarding the analysis. 1. What does the analysis say that the dark strokes represent about Bill Clinton? According to the analyst, the dark strokes of Clinton’s handwriting indicate â€Å"a great deal of energy and an ability to work hard and for long periods of time† (Canoles â€Å"Bill Clinton†). 2. What does the analysis say about the â€Å"little tents† under Clinton’s words? The little tents suggest â€Å"how firm, and even stubborn, Clinton can become once his mind is made up† (Canoles â€Å"Bill Clinton†). 3. How accurate do you find the analysis comments from what you know about Bill Clinton? Based on his administration when he was president and my impression about Bill Clinton, I could say that the handwriting analysis was close to my ideas. Since Clinton was elected as president for two consecutive terms, it suggested that he was well-liked by his consitutents and that he did a great job in doing his taks as head of the state which is very similar with the report of the author’s analysis that Clinton is â€Å"fair and objective when working on initiatives or with people† (Canoles â€Å"Bill Clinton†). 4. Go to: Clinton Biography Read a short biography on Bill Clinton. What comments from the analysis seem accurate according to the short biography? According to the first short biogrphy that I read, Clinton achieved numerous accomplishemnts dugin his term as President of the United States. Some of these were the increase of employment for Americans, reductionsof tax for businesses and many others. In the handwriting analysis, Clinton was depicted as â€Å"direct, efficient, can prioritize easily,† detail-oriented and a â€Å"pragmatic idealist† which are characteristics needed in order to make positive accomplishments. (Canoles â€Å"Bill Clinton†). These qualifyers corresponded with the characteristics of Clinton shown on the biography. 5. Go to: Handwriting Analysis Read a second short analysis of Bill Clinton. How do the two analyses compare/contrast? According to the second short biogrphy that I read, Clinton was described as an intelligent and a charismatic political leader loved by the people. However, he was involved in a sex controversy that influenced many people to question his credibility. But after being found not guilty from the charges against him, he gradually redeemed himself by initiating productive changes in the US and in the international scene. When the handwriting analysis was compared to the biography, the fomer made accurate descriptions of Clinton solely based on his handwriting that matched the information from the latter. But there were some information that were not confirmed by the biography such as the early emotional hurt experienced by Clinton that caused him to have a protective cautin. Nothing was said in his biography about any incident that might have a negative impact on him. So this piece of data still remain questionable. Nevertheless, the majority of information in the handwriting analysis were similar to the actual personal and historical background of Bill Clinton. Write Journal ( Two paragraphs only): Find an advertisement in U. S. a magazine and a) describe the ad, then b) analyze it by discussing all of the following: the colors in the ad, the message (or words) of the ad, and who or what is the focal point of the ad. How do all of these aspects work together to try to get you to buy the product? In the rainbow ad by Skittles, the texts incorporated stated, â€Å"If you filled all the world’s maracas with skittle, no one would ever know. † This literally means that the maracas would not be heard because people are going to eat the Skittles which will supposedly make the sound for the maracas. These texts were colored using all the rainbow colors which are also the colors of the Skittle candies. It was like the ad was bursting with colors which insinuated that if a someone eats a Skittle, the flavors would also burst inside the mouth. More so, in a caption below the ad which says, â€Å"Hear the rainbow, taste the rainbow,† suggests that the appealing look of the Skittles is also transcended to the taste which is composed of different flavors similar with the colors of the window. When all these elements are combined, the ad makes a powerful visual that is both enticing and informative. Works Cited Arnold, Rosemay. â€Å"Walker Railey. † 2006. Handwriting. org. 14 July 2008 . Canoles, June. â€Å"Bill Clinton. † 2006. Handwriting. org. 14 July 2008 .

Observations of Child Development

This paper will discuss a child that was observed on a number of occasions in their family setting at home. It will explore the student social worker's understanding of child development linking theory and reality.. A critical account based on six observations sessions of the child development on†¦.. Drawing on what has been seen and student knowledge on appropriate milestones, literature research and social work theory.The student will reflect on their role as an observer and what has been learnt during the process of observation and it's relevance to social work Different areas of development are inter-related. The ideas, language, communication, feelings, relationships and other cultural elements among which each child is brought up influence his or her development profoundly. (Carolyn Megabit and Gerald Cumberland) (2000) Child Development : An illustrated guide. Henchman.The skills of observation are important and the importance of tone of voice and body language, particula rly when the words spoken might be saying something completely different. Sometimes observing teaches you things that you can't be told and sometimes we are tuned to listen instead of look. A part of the process of becoming a social worker is observation. Observation is the power to see what isn't obvious. Observation is seeing and hearing, and also seeing what's missing, picking up on what is omitted, analytically processing whilst doing the observation.It's important we understand observation is a powerful tool in our assessment and intervention. Observing is an essential skill for everyone working with children. ( Carolyn Megabit and Gerald Cumberland) (2000). Observation helps social workers and students to reflect upon situations before intervening (Pat El Richer and Karee Tanner) Using observational methods are helpful in describing individual's behavior as they interact in real time; and allow the reader to create a verbal picture of the behaviors as they unfold.This is impor tant when social workers are working with children and families in their home (Pipelining, 1996:1), and there is a growing recognition in social work literature around observation in practice (Richer & Tanner, 1998:17). On my first observation I was not nervous but did feel intrusive about entering the Morris's home, I had meet them a few days before and they were very welcoming which eased some of the anxieties I had. I know that as a qualified social worker on some occasions (e. G. Hill protection) I will be meeting the family for the first time when conducting a home visit and they might not be welcoming.Taking the role of observer is what I was most apprehensive about, I was unsure of what to expect on†¦ Cognitive and language development Cognitive or intellectual development is development of the mind- the part of the brain that that is used for recognizing, reasoning, knowing and understanding. Language development is development of communication skills : Receptive speech : what a person understands Expressive speech- the words the persons produces Articulation- the person's actual pronunciations of wordsETC can build towers, can copy a building pattern of three or more cubes 3 years ; Remember and repeat songs and nursery rhymes ; Use personal pronouns and plurals correctly and give their own name and sex and sometimes age ; Carry on simple conversations, often missing link words such as the and is ; Learn to speak more than one language if they hear more than one language spoken around them as they grow ; Enjoys listening to and making music ; Can control their attention, choosing to stop an activity and return to it without much difficulty ; Counts by rote up to ten or more Enjoys playing on the floor with bricks, boxes, toy trains and dolls ;Joins in active make-believe play ; y with other children A Child Observation Assignment By Marie Tree Date Posted: December 1 5th This article was written by Marie Tree in 2010 as a record of her child obser vation assignment for her post-qualifying Specialist Social Work Award course at Portsmouth University. When submitting it article Marie wrote remarked that when completing this assignment she was taken â€Å"back to my early days in the sass's when I did have what now seems the luxury of reflecting on my practice. † [pick] Marie Tree In childhood, everything was more vivid – the sun brighter, the smell of fields sharper, the thunder louder, the rain more abundant and the grass taller†.Constantine Passports The context for my observation was a local authority Children's Centre which provides Offset registered care for babies and children between O months and 5 years. The Children's Centre has been classed as ‘Outstanding' by Offset since June 2006 and has been working with children with additional needs since the sass's. The setting was a group of 12 children of mixed sexes, all of mixed abilities such as physical and learning difficulties. The group was we ll staffed (by women) with some children having one to one support. The setting is headed by a teacher and the Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum guides the work, and the children learn through play.The observations were based upon the Atavistic model (Pick 1964) and my remit was to observe a child for lax hours and record my observations after the sessions. I also included my reflections, dilemmas and prejudices with my seminar group. The staff at the Children's Centre were aware of my role, and the purpose of my observations. A oh year old little girl was selected and I shall call her Anna (pseudonym). I had no contact with Anna's parents, although the Children's Centre informed them of my remit and they gave their written consent. The first session took place after lunch and I placed myself at the back of the room, discreetly tucked into a corner hoping that my presence would not be noticed. How wrong I was!The room was filled with an array of spontaneous discoveries, books, toys, computers, sand, paint and dressing up clothes and the clutter of noise and emotions reminded me of my own home where I have three young children, where exploring the world extends their nascent theories as to how the world works. Initially, I found it very difficult to sit and focus on Anna solely, as I was used to talking and making eye contact with children, and not being able to engage or speak was difficult. For the first session, I watched Anna intently and I had to clear my head of any Judgments of her which were purely based on bits of information I had picked up from staff.I had based assumptions of Anna's background and life, which were purely speculative and ill informed. It was this reflection that helped me focus between fact and feeling and challenging myself on how the information I had been given about Anna had given considerable weight in owe I thought she might play and socialize with other children. I needed to separate these two contradictory parts (Goldst ein, 1990). I watched Anna carefully glide from one activity to the next, first playing with the sand letting it quickly sift through her fingers and making shapes and marks with the palms of her hands. She slowly toddled off when a young boy, eager to play more adventurously nudged her out of the way.Watching Anna play, I did think of her goals and what she was trying to create through her thought and actions, and I did think of Piglet's (1973) theory on children's cognitive development. Again, I had to challenge my assumptions on stages of Piglet's theory as they are not fixed and concrete in any child. On several occasions, children came up to me bringing toys, books and requests to go to the toilet, and at one point, a young child stood in front of me for what seemed like a very long time. I replied only briefly to the children and avoided eye contact when possible. My desire to become involved with the children was very strong, and it was difficult to refuse a simple request fr om a small child.However, remaining in a passive role allowed me to stand back and slow down and examine in detail the allegations with the child. (Bridge et al, 1996, p. 1 13). The method of sitting observing Anna was at times alien to me and having no prescriptive focus other than observe made me feel vulnerable. It felt like the anxieties that Seal (2003) identified in his work as ‘professionals giving up control and being open to what is emerging'. (Seal, 2003, p. 16). How I managed my feelings around observing Anna also reminded me of the work by Isabel Minimizes Lath (1989) who wrote about anxiety and how its experience, expression and sublimations are a major factor in determining personal ND institutional behavior.I often refer to the work of Isabel Minimizes Lath when I am faced with uncertainties, and it is my acknowledgment and containment of these feelings that will impact on the overall work that I do with children and their families. In the room with Anna, I had to contain my feelings around the observation. Anna continued throughout my observation to drift from one activity to the next. At one point, I observed her clasp the hand of a worker and pull her gently towards the book corner. The worker gently tapped the hand of Anna, letting her know she was aware of the request. At that moment, I thought of how unique and complex children are as they do not have the language to explain how they think and explore the world that surrounds them. By slowing down and observing them, we have the advantage and a willingness to speculate.Ending the hour observation was less problematic than I thought and I quietly put my coat on and said goodbye with a few children holding gaze with me as I left the room. In the next session with Anna, I felt more relaxed and in tune with what I was trying to do. It was much more comfortable not having to put any kind of theory into practice. I had the added luxury of not having paper and pens or an assessment to compl ete. It was a time to observe Anna and explore my own feelings. Anna made eye contact with me on a few occasions and I would not be convinced that she knew that I was watching her; however, that is purely my interpretation. In this session, Anna lay dozing on and off on a bean bag, and although she already had had a nap earlier, she seemed somewhat tired and lethargic that day.Beside Anna, on a separate beanbag, lay a child with cerebral palsy, and at that moment, I felt a gush of emotion run through me, and I was minded of my own child with learning and mobility problems. Two children, side by side, one able bodied and the other, confined to a soft cushion. Rusting (2004) identifies this problem well and suggests that recognizing feelings and working with this is very important in the work that we do. I am aware as a practitioner, that we risk professional dangerousness if our roles and boundaries are not clearly defined. Our relationships with clients need to be based on objectivi ty and self awareness. This allows us to step outside our emotional needs and to be sensitive to the needs of others. (HOMOS, 1988: Protecting Children).I believe for any effective intervention, the worker must remain quite distinct and separate, whole and intact. It was good to be able to discuss my feelings with my seminar group and it is Erikson (1950) who talks about basic trust as the first stage of the eight stages of man. I believe that talking about observations was now similar to that described by Wainscot (1965) as holding and Boon (1962) as containing, and what emerged from the seminar group was a secure base where thoughts and feelings could be openly discussed amongst ourselves, and it was the first time that as a seminar group, that we spoke freely and openly about experiences during observations.The remaining sessions observing Anna became enjoyable and watching her play was fascinating as her tiny hands grasped and touched the toys and objects around her. By observin g her, I was to enter her world of self wonderment and capture moments by focusing solely on her. I am aware of the importance of endings and although I had clearly given my remit to the staff, I said goodbye to the children and thanked them for allowing me to sit in their class. I think that they were more interested in circle time and the nursery rhymes to notice my quiet departure from the room. Conclusion Observing Anna had brought back the sense of refocusing on the child and their world. Being able to discuss feelings within the seminar group helped to contain hidden ideologies and prejudices within myself.Humphreys (1988) puts this very well by describing ‘perspective transformation' in which we can reflect and challenge our belief system, and through this, transformation occurs. Having no social work task to do was a luxury. To sit and observe was a chance to explore the children's lack of power, vulnerability and dependence on adults. So much of social work time is sp ent n the speed of completing assessments, ticking boxes, and only the neediest of children receive a service. In my view, much is lost to the benefits of observing children. Too often, only a snapshot of a child is all that a social worker can grasp when working with children and much is lost by not having a space for reflective and analytical practice which gives the worker a platform to critically evaluate and challenge their work.

Attitudes to Language Essay Example for Free

Attitudes to Language Essay Language clearly plays a major role in all aspects of society. The most obvious is its social role of allowing people to relate to each other in all facets of their lives: to share information, emotions and ways of life. We use language as a means of navigating our daily lives and it plays an integral role in most of our interactions. Perhaps for this reason, French is regarded as an elegant and romantic language, while German is considered to be guttural. Additionally, ever since mankind evolved into different language communities, it is commonplace for people to adopt various attitudes towards the language(s) spoken by others, as well as towards the dialects of the language they speak. These attitudes are motivated by different factors, including pride in or shame regarding one’s own language, confidence or embarrassment about how one sounds, nationalism and a sense of personal dignity, one’s status and values as well as the prestige some languages are given in international interactions. A well known attitude is the desire for foreign speech patterns; another is the rejection of certain dialects. People form impressions of your personality, emotional state, geographic origin, education, experiences, age or socioeconomic status from the language you use and the way you use it. We often witness the amusement of an audience when someone speaks in the creole, for not only does the system of sound evoke laughter, but the assumption that the speaker is an uneducated serf is then made. Ridicule and contempt for the vernacular, creoles and dialects are common responses from some members of society, even within the Caribbean society, where dialects are rich, strong and the first language. Dialects develop under various circumstances as well as geographical locations and are varieties of languages. A creole could be a dialect within a language. Because of our history, people of the region tend to place a high premium on the standard languages (the language of power and economic might). Many  people believe that upward mobility is largely dependent on one’s ability to fit in with the predominant socioeconomic class, and language is the main signifier of this fit. Many Caribbean writers have described scenarios of people who went overseas, were generally expected to return with a new command of the target language and often demonstrated their new found ‘status’ by emphasizing their foreign accent of ‘twang’. While some might be impress ed by the ‘twang’, others view such pretensions with derision. Attitudes to language may vary from one sector of the society to another and some people demonstrate self-conscious behavior when speaking the standard language. This is largely a result of the fact that in most societies one is often judged on the basis of the variety of language that one speaks. This is even more prevalent in societies with a colonial legacy, like the Caribbean, where certain dialects are associated with the institution of slavery or conquest. Increasingly, educators are becoming aware that a person’s native language is an integral part of who that person is and marginalizing the language can have severe damaging effects on that person’s psyche. Many linguists consistently make a case for teaching native languages alongside the target languages so that children can clearly differentiate among the codes ( a term used synonymously with language or dialect but generally refers to a linguistic system of communication. A code can also be non-linguistic such as a dress code or code of conduct) and hence be less likely to mix the two. This approach has been adopted in Haiti, where schools teach both Standard French and French Creole (Haitian) and children are expected to be fluent in both. Additional prominence has been given to Caribbean Creoles with the publication of Creole dictionaries and with the translation of the New Testament from the Christian Bible into French Creole in St. Lucia. A similar project is under way in Jamaica. While attitudes to local dialects have been slowly changing, many people still associate the use of Creole with negative images and believe that its use should be relegated to specific circumstances and occasions. However, the fact that non-standard language varieties are the most widely spoken in the Caribbean makes them the choice of persons trying to get information to large sections of the society. For example, many advertisers use the Creole language to ensure that their message appeals to most people. At the same time, because of the prestige attached to the standard language, it tends to be the language of choice on formal occasions, like church services. A language variety is usually chosen because of its perceived social functions. You may have noticed that, the more formal the occasion, the more likely the use of the standard language, while for everyday interaction, popular music or emotional appeals, people tend to gravitate towards the non-standard varieties. You would have noticed that, even in a formal situation, non-standard dialect might be used for anecdotes, to inject humour or in a quotation. In the Caribbean, people switching from one code of language to another, often without thinking. However, there are times when the use of standard langue would seem totally out of place and would even interfere with semantics. For example, folk stories, folk songs and proverbs seem to lose a certain essence when translated into standard. The role of language as a vehicle for sharing culture is indisputable. Caribbean writers, singers and oral poets have played a major part in fostering acceptance of the Creole languages of the region, by incorporating them into their work and exposing them to the world. Nonetheless, negative attitudes to these languages persist in the minds of many. Attitudes to Language. (2018, Oct 28).

Under Manhattan Sky (Lisa) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Under Manhattan Sky (Lisa) - Essay Example To begin with, she is frank in that she is able to state bluntly that she is a prostitute to whoever wishes to know, including Tim. Consequently, Tim will be able to understand her feelings and experiences, and this will drive the plot into revealing that Tim and she are brother and sister. This corresponds with my character because I am also frank. She also faces rejection; thus, moving from one foster home to another. Finally, finds her brother, who is very rich and she settles down to normal life. For the character of Lisa to have a powerful impact on the audience, she will have a hoarse sexy voice to depict the fact that she is a prostitute. She would also be dressed skimpily, have high heels and move with slow deliberate steps that accentuate the swinging of her hips. She should overdo her make-up, especially lipstick and eye-shadow. This would be in keeping with her role as a whore in the play. Her physical qualities will also reflect her troubled childhood and the harsh life she has lived before becoming a prostitute. However, despite the hard exterior, Lisa has a soft underbelly. Too much bitterness has accumulated in her heart, owing to the difficult childhood she has undergone. Consequently, she can easily break down emotionally. Lisa character would not be complete without some improvisations. In improvisation, things deviate from the normal (Goldstein, 2009). In this film, Lisa has to claim that she knows Tim from somewhere though it is apparent that they have never met. This helps create the tension between she and Tim and leads to the discovery that they are brother and

Carnival Cruise Lines Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Carnival Cruise Lines - Case Study Example 2.2 The Case Law principally is Bremen v Zapata Off-Shore Co., 407 U.S. 1 (1972), which found that â€Å"in light of present-day commercial realities and expanding international trade we conclude that the forum clause should control absent a strong showing that it should be set aside.† 2.3 Statutory Law is 28 U.S.C. 1404(a), which provides: "For the convenience of parties and witnesses, in the interest of justice, a district court may transfer any civil action to any other district or division where it might have been brought" (forum non conveniens). 3. Analysis – The spouses Shute boarded the Tropicale in Los Angeles, California, on a cruise to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico and back. On the return trip, as the ship passed international waters, Eulala Shute slipped on a deck mat during a guided tour of the ship’s galley and was injured. The spouses filed suit, alleging negligence against the ship’s owners, Carnival Cruise Lines, and its employees. The action was filed in the U.S. District Court for Washington’s Western District. Carnival contended that the proper forum for the resolution of the dispute is in Florida, on the basis of the terms and conditions of the Passenger Contract Ticket. ... It also noted that a cruise line has a special interest in limiting the fora where it may be brought to court, because its customers can come from any number of locations as it is a business that transports people from place to place, and that passengers benefit from reduced fares due to the savings the cruise line realizes by limiting the fora for litigation. REACTION Upon reading the full text of the decision and after careful consideration, I would tend to disagree with the decision of the majority, and side with the dissenting opinion by Justice Stevens and joined by Justice Marshall. On the reasons given, I disagree that Carnival would be open to litigation in any number of places, because its customers would be concentrated in those areas it does business in. If Carnival has agents that market its services in certain areas, then Carnival earns money from them in their place of residence; they have sufficient operations in that area because their agent acts in their name and wit h their authorization. Furthermore, I disagree with the decision that savings from not incurring costs from filing pretrial motions directly translate to customers’ lower fares; what is certain is that without assuming anything else, it automatically adds to the firm’s profits. â€Å"Section 1404(a) is...intended to place discretion in the district courts to adjudicate motions for transfer according to an individualized, case-by-case consideration of convenience and fairness.† (Stewart Organization, Inc. v Ricoh Corporation, 487 U.S. 22 [1988]). The conditions in Bremen are unlike those in Carnival. I side with Justices Stevens and Marshall in observing that in Bremen the parties were

Brand Personality, Voice & Messaging Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Brand Personality, Voice & Messaging - Essay Example For instance, the brand manager will use a concept such as â€Å"inner attractiveness and beauty is what emerges when you eat ABC restaurant pizza.† The advert will create a direct link between the company’s product and personality. The ABC restaurant intends to identify the voice that will clearly define its pizza. The voice will be attractive and will aim at advancing the product popularity over its competitor’s pizza. The use of appealing voice will be of the essence in attracting a huge number of potential customers to the company’s brand. The promotion voice will also help in sending the advertisement message in a clear manner to customers from various social and cultural backgrounds. The use of attractive voice will also aim at creating dialogue between the company managers and potential consumers. The ABC restaurant will also create a messaging map by describing the target audience and market. Although social network has multilayered audiences, the company will use clear messaging mapping in describing its target consumers. Identifying the target consumer will be vital in facilitating reliable interaction between the company and target consumers. Moreover, the restaurant intends to identify and engage in productive interaction with the target market. Productive interaction with the target market will be effective in associating potential customers with the company’s

What protection is afforded to beneficial co-owners of property in Essay

What protection is afforded to beneficial co-owners of property in situations where the trustees or third parties apply to a court for an order to sell land which is subject to a trust of land - Essay Example The law of co-ownership operates whenever two or more people enjoy the rights of ownership of property at the same time, either freehold or leasehold. The law of co-ownership is to be found in the 1925 legislation (LPA 1925), common law, and TLATA 1996. The law of co-ownership can be broken down into various components, first being the nature of co-ownership and types of co-ownership, Secondly, there is the statutory machinery that regulates the use and enjoyment of co-owned land, thirdly, there are those statutory and common law rules governing the creation of co-ownership, fourthly, there is the impact of co-ownership on third parties, fifthly, there are matters relating to the termination of co-ownership. 1 The concurrent co-ownership of property describes the simultaneous enjoyment of land by two or more persons i.e. enjoyment of the rights of ownership by two or more persons at the same time. Co-ownership since 1 January 1926 will either be by way of a â€Å"joint tenancy† or a â€Å"tenancy in common†.2 In a joint tenancy, each co-owner is treated as being entitled to the whole of that land. There are no distinct â€Å"shares†, and no single co-owner can claim any greater right over any part of the land than other. As far as the rest of the world is concerned, the land is treated as if it is owned by one person only and all the joint tenants share in that one ownership. In practical terms, this means that, when land is subject to a joint tenancy, there is only one formal title to it, and that title is owned jointly by all the joint tenants. Moreover, if the land is registered, there will be but one title registered at HM Land Registry, with each co-owner registered as proprietor of that title in the proprietorship section of the register. If the land is unregistered, there will be but one set of title deeds, specifying the four owners.3 It is pertinent to mention here that prior to 1st January

RS DB 2 Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

RS DB 2 - Research Paper Example Revenue for sales is always associated with expenses. The common expenses are cost of revenue or cost of goods sold, general and administrative expenses, non-recessing expenses, and other expenses. The above-mentioned expenses when added to the revenue we get gross profit or loss, and operating income or loss. This assignment will limit to Radio Shacks sales revenue. The activities mentioned above are operating activities. Operating activities in business are associated with the revenue and expenses or in other word cash inflows and outflows. Thus, operational activity in accounting is called cash flow. This assignment will limit to the study of Radio Shack’s cash flow from the operation in the fiscal 2010 year. Cash flow from operations may be calculated using direct or indirect method. This assignment will use the indirect method. Necessary data, in this purpose, will be acquired from company’s Income statement and Balance sheet (Yahoo; YCHARTS). Sales Revenue for yea r 2010 = 4,265,200,000 (Yahoo) Cash at the beginning of the year 2010 = 908,200,000 (YCHARTS a) Operating Cash Flow (OCF) calculation (Accounting Explained) Net income 190,700,000 Adjustment to the net income 38,600,000 Depreciation 99,200,000 Net payable 600,100,000 Deferred Tax 12,000,000 Net Receivable -377,500,000 OCF 563,100,000 Cash at the end 2010 = Cash at the beginning + OCF = 908,200,000 + 563,100,000 = 1,471,300,000 However, according to the company Cash flow (YCHARTS a) statement, cash at the end of 2010 was 569,400,000. This shows that company did not collect all revenue, which is also shown through the increase in receivable from 2009 to 2010 (YCHARTS b). The company made more sales than cash collections. Question 2 Sales revenue and Net income trend analysis Radio Shack 2008 2009 Growth / Decline 2010 Growth / Decline 2011    Sales 4,224,000,000 4,276,000,000 1.23% 4,266,000,000 -0.23% 4,378,000,000 2.63% Net income 189,400,000 205,000,000 8.24% 206,100,000 0.54% 72 ,200,000 -64.97% Cost of revenue 2,302,000,000 2,314,000,000 0.52% 2,352,000,000 1.64% 2,567,000,000 9.14% Gross profit 1,923,000,000 1,962,000,000 2.03% 1,914,000,000 -2.45% 1,811,000,000 -5.38% BestBuy Sales    45,020,000,000    49,690,000,000 10.37% 49,750,000,000 0.12% Net income    1,003,000,000    1,317,000,000 31.31% 1,277,000,000 -3.04% The above table shows Radio Shack’s Sales and Net income trend for years from 2008 to 2011. Revenue from sales during this period was more or less stable; though in 2009, it was increased by 1.23 % with respect to the previous year; in 2010 decreased by – 0.23 %, and in 2011 again increased by 2.63 %. Net income trend was quite erratic; in 2009, it increased by 8.24 % with respect to the previous year, then it dropped in 2010. In 2011 net income dropped by 65 % with respect to the previous year. The company Income Statement did not show any dramatic increase in operating expenses. However, it was observed that both in 20 10 and 2011 when net income dropped gross profit also dropped. Drop in net income in 2010 and 2011 should be attributed to decrease in gross profit. The decrease in gross profit is associated with the increase in cost of revenue, which is displayed in the above table. Study of net income of Radio Shack’s competitor Best Buy also shows a decrease in net income in 2011 with respect to 2011. We may conclude that year 2011 decrease in net income as a trend; however, Radio Shack’s net income drop in 2011 was much higher than its competitor Best

Burger king Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Burger king - Essay Example All the concerns in this kind of order are about the right and satisfied serving and nothing beyond it. â€Å"What do you want?† following â€Å"How do you want it?† are the concerned questions of the employer. Now depending upon the want of particular customer, employee has to make sure that exact want of the customer is facilitated. Earlier [MD09] customers have objections about the postponement in serving the order at different branches of the Burger King and blog posts are there that sounds like in the early development phase of Burger king customers have serious issues and the entertainment of enjoying food was fully spoiled by the long run wait in the way to order serving. Burger King Store located at Luton is relatively a warm site to be visited in winter seasons. Keeping into consideration the issues faced by the Burger King Customer in other stores, this branch is designed to be spacey, clean and shinny to entertain as much customers as possible. To ensure happy customer service, the staff is increased to an extent - in the relocated Burger King branch in Luton – that in routine days no waiting queues are noticed. It’s in occasional days when queues are there but with the efficient staff quick execution of the waiting queues is no more a nightmare. Burger King is competing McDonald with its superb taste and people just love the way it is. Standard of Burger King is really fare and demanding. Burger King located in Luton -The Mall Arndale is termed by the regular customers as a â€Å"good branch at excellent site†. Being slightly warmer, Luton is a high-quality point of sale in winters. Want a quick bite to eat so visit Burger King as it is indeed a good place. Following are some of the perspectives of the service quality offered in the Burger King located in Luton -The Mall: a. Spacious: Lot more capacity is offered by the Burger King branch located at Luton that makes the relocated and refurbished branch a

What does an examination of 'secret trusts' mean Rationale behind the Essay

What does an examination of 'secret trusts' mean Rationale behind the Secret Trust - Essay Example He is the beneficiary of a generous trust set up by his father" his condition or obligation of one to whom anything is confided; responsible charge or office." We can summarize the term trust in this manner.Secret and half-secret trusts are invented by English. They have come into existence on the slender of grounds, and been nurtured over the years because nobody seems to have the heart to put them out as it is deep rooted in the field of trust. The trust property is something held by one party for the benefit of another and the first party is called as the trustee and second party is the beneficiary. The main intention behind the creation of trust is that the devisee or grantee shall convey it, or dispose of the profits, at the will, or for the benefit, of another; an estate held for the use of another; a confidence respecting property reposed in one person, who is termed the trustee, for the benefit of another, who is called the cestui que trust.Law of equity and trust confers the provision regarding the trust. It laid down several duties and responsibilities for the trustees. As said before, generally we can define the a trust as a capacity by which a person can transfer title of the specific property to another who agrees to hold or manage it for the benefit of a third person. But when a person transfers his property to another person by way of gift or any other manner and it is implied that the same is to be kept as the trust on behalf of the beneficiary, then what will be the status of such property. Law of trust dealt this, with the provision of secret trust. Whenever we analyze the scope of secret trust, the importance of scope of implied trust can not be excluded. Any description of trust includes an implied resulting or constructive trust and a bare trust. (1) (Sub-section (1) (a), Trust of land and Appointment of trustees Act 1996) an implied trust is based on the presumed intention of the parties at the time the property is acquired by the resulting trustee. That is the point at which the contributors' beneficial interests crystallize. The beneficial shares are unaffected by subsequent conduct. This scope of implied trust has been rightly explained in ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. Trust of land and Appointment of trustees Act 1996, 2 in Cowcher v Cowcher (2).In the context of above, We shall examine the scope and rationale behind the provision of secret law under law of trust. Scope of secret trust A secret trust is an undercover arrangement between a testator and a trustee which operates outside the terms of the will. Equity enforces the settler's true intentions to benefit a third party even though this is contrary to the provisions of the Wills Act 1837, which was itself based on long-standing principles of the old Statute of Fraud 1677. Until 1677, there was no formality attached to the making of the will. Before the enactment of the 1677 statute any person could deceive in the name of bequest as it was made on behalf of him. But 1677 statute put an end to this fraud play by laid down the provision of importance of signature and writing at the time of making Will. It was extended to all assets under the section 9 of the Wills Act 1837. Will's Act is an anti-fraud provision. It imposes series of formalities that has to be complied with so as to ensure the will of the testator is being genuine and not fake. E.g. forbidding any gift which is made in favor of the witnesses and their spouses s15 (WA 1837) stipulation of compulsory requirement of codicil amendment of will.( sec.20,WA 1837) A secret trust arises when a testator wishes, for whatever reason, to transfer the benefit of property to a person without specifying that person as a legatee under his will. In consequence,

Internet Is Most Influential Invention in American History Essay Example for Free

Internet Is Most Influential Invention in American History Essay The United States of America who has been ruling the power in technology, communication and in every other field with advance from its history and giving birth to new generation invention which human mind can’t â€Å"even think off from early dreams of global information networks to the dominance of the World Wide Web, networked computers have changed the way Americans interact with the world†. (Inventing the Internet Age Science and Technology CBC Archives) In the history of America, the Information Technology in such Internet has been the best power as its kind in the communication, new inventions, science, business and specially for the students who are in the field of science and technology they have been getting help from the internet and they have proved to be the best and always had the Country name on the top. The Internet is a worldwide network of thousands of computers and computers network working together for the upliftment of the human in information and communication technology. It has been a great invention by the human mind and a great achievement in information technology. â€Å"In the history of America in 1956 we found this conference and concept which gave birth to the field of AI as a vibrant area of interdisciplinary research, and provided an intellectual environment to all successive computer research and development efforts†. This new field made the human mind thinks to create Internet which works more professionally from its own parts. In the history of Defense of United States the first research and development was made by Paul Baran’s who started his work at (RAND). RAND was founded in Santa Monica, California who started working after the Second World War and started operational research skills developed by US military to manage them. The first wide area computer network was established by the United States Air Force in 1959 which was used to recognize and respond after a nuclear attack and with the new inventions in the US Defense the system got more organized and developed. (Dartmouth Artificial Intelligence (AI) Conference) Later in 1960s the Internet has grown from a single experimental network serving a dozen sites in the United States to a network of networks linking millions of computers worldwide. There were many scientist and great inventors who worked hard that allowed the Internet to develop. â€Å"At that time there was collaboration and conflict among remarkable scientists, including government and military agencies, computer scientists, graduate students, telecommunications companies, standards organizations, and network users†. (Networks: Syllabus of Readings for Complex Adaptive systems) In the history of 1964, the Norbert Wiener won the US National Medal of Science. In the same year Norbert published one of his last book called God and Golem† which included certain points where cybernetics impinges on religion which latter had a dominant influences on later generation of scientists and made tons of scientists to research into the potential to extend human capabilities. â€Å"Norbert change the way everyone thought about computer technology and that influencing several later developers of the internet which includes J. C. R Licklider†. (Dartmouth Artificial Intelligence (AI) Conference) In the same year Marshall McLuhan’s made a new theory which is still remembered by the name of â€Å"Global Village† to make every one think about the social effects and the world-shattering effects that has made the changed around the world. He tried to change the concept about the media, technology and communication. McLuhan highlighted this theory of his named with global village from his observation and researchers that the electronic (media) was swiftly integrating the globe. If we go pass by the history of internet which is now been very common source of information and communication to every single human on this universe. Sir Bill Gates, who is the Chairman of Microsoft company has invented a programming language basic for the first microcomputer in the history in 1973, after that in the same year Internet and Transmission Control Protocols were initially developed by the great American Scientist Vinton Cerf, who worked for the United States department of Defense Advance Research Projects Agency (ARPA) which was directed by American Engineer Robert Kahn. At first, by the help of Advance Research Project Agency who linked several universities and research laboratories in the United States. After 16 years of development and researches world wide web was developed by the great English computer scientist Timothy Berners-Lee who worked under European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN), the design of the internet was done in 1973 and published in 1974 the hard work resulting the internet in 1983, a number of demonstration were made by the great scientists of different universities. Moreover from the (ARPANET) which grew in 1970’s Leonard Kleinrocks and his mates worked over the design and performance of packet switched network latter UCLA Netwatch Program performed similar functions Kleinrocks and his team did for ARPANET but the great achievement of Kleinrocks was that he connected SDS Sigma 7 Computer to an interface massage processors which became the first node on ARPANET and the first computer ever on internet in early September 1969. After that in early 1996 the internet interconnected more than 25 million computers in more than 180 countries all over the world. With the interconnection of computer networks and different machines to communicate directly through internet had made the United States rule over everything from the last era. Not just the interconnection but the global interconnection of the United States government who deals around the world so easily with the modern technology, interconnection in the education which has made the best universities all over the world and is making the best scientists, doctors, engineers and with the business network which is available in the public around the world with one click..

The English sports Essay Example for Free

The English sports Essay The English sports council calculates that there are 70,000 pitches in England alone. Half of the total pitches are used for recreational football matches and practices. Another 1/4 for cricket. The remaining usage being for sports such as hockey and rugby. There are also 300 artificial grass pitches in addition. I have chosen a sports club called Esporta. It provides many of activities for its customers, such as: Crche, holistic activities, Pilates spinning, step, toning etc all through the week. For popular national sports such as football, rugby league, rugby union, cricket, golf, motor racing, and horse racing, spectating plays a large part.   Old Trafford home of Manchester United footballs club is not only a stadia / a venue for footie matches but has also hosted rugby league matches and even pop concerts. Its becoming more popular to have multi-purposes stadia, it saves space and money and maintenance costs. It has been developed by increasing its capacity, improving parking facilities and making it an all seater facility. They are privately provided by companies aiming to make a profit.  In 1998 consumers spent an estimated à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½3,500 million on sportswear and equipment and manufacture such as Nike, Adidas, Puma, Reebok, have all become household names. Spots division and JJB sports have 449 outlets between them throughout the UK. They are all private. Heritage sites and\attractions  There were 396 million people who visited visitor attractions in 1998.It is estimated that UK heritage attractions attracted over 50 million visitors in the same year.  There is a varied range of attractions such as historic buildings, e.g. Windsor Castle to local traditions e.g. Morris Dancing. Both these attractions are completely different but linked in that they are both heritage attractions. Some heritage attractions are sightseeing places and some are historic and some are cultural. Also know as outdoor pursuits, there are over a thousand in the UK that specialise in providing this type of holiday. Skern Lodge, Devon is an outdoor activities centre. It provides visitors with a range of services, including accommodation, meals, transport and instruction in a wide range of outdoor activities such as canoeing, sailing, raft building, climbing, archery, and plenty more. It also has swimming pools, games field, bar and recreation lounge. Home-Based Leisure  There is likely to be an increase in consumer spending in areas such as audio equipment and television by over 30% between 1998 and 2003. The decline lies on reading books and newspapers are with the recent development of DVDs and videos.  The private sector dominates the market for home-based leisure. The volume of UK spending on home-based leisure is around 40 billion.

Waste minimising and recycle in construction

Waste minimising and recycle in construction INTRODUCTION: The construction industry has a major impact on the environment, both in terms of the resources it consumes and the waste it produces. The construction industry is responsible for producing a whole variety of different wastes, the amount and type of which depends on factors such as the stage of construction, type of construction work and practices on site. The construction industry generates a large amount of waste every year. As construction professionals we should follow a hierarchical approach to waste management by aiming primarily to reduce the amount of waste produced then aim to reuse and recycle any waste that is produced. Whilst the trend is to reject the traditional methods of waste disposal in favour of sustainable waste strategies, the majority of the construction industry has placed waste reduction at the bottom of research agendas because of complexities over reuse and recycling. Construction waste has a significant impact on the environment and more emphasis must be put on reducing waste production and increasing recycling and reuse. WASTE Sustainable waste management means using material resources efficiently; to cut down on the amount of waste we produce, and where waste is produced, dealing with it in a way that actively contributes to the economic, social and environmental goals of sustainable development.[1] SOURCES OF WASTE CLIENT ROLE: The client plays an important role in the reduction of waste. This is for a reason that when the client changes his requirements at a stage when construction has already began, the materials which are already being used would be wasted as they no longer will be used in the new design. IMPORTANCE OF SKILLED LABOUR: The use of skilled labours means that good techniques will be used and hopefully fewer mistakes will occur during the construction phase. A mistake could lead to the need for replacement of materials. Thereby increasing the amount of waste generated. LOGISTICS OF MATERIALS: The logistics of materials to the site can also play a part in reducing the waste; this is for a number of reasons. Packaging of material will create waste. Therefore, if a method is generated to reduce the amount of packaging then the waste will be reduced. AFFECTS OF TRANSPORTATION OF MATERIALS: Waste will also be generated due to the transportation of the product. While transporting, goods can be damaged due to the vehicular movements if proper care is not taken and hence get wasted. Delivering goods in large quantities could generate problems at the site as more storage may be required which may need temporary structures or heating to keep the products in the right conditions, this adding to the amount of waste generated. MANUFACTURING DEFECTS: During manufacturing, the manufacturer produces only a specific size, but the client may require a slightly different size, therefore the material is trimmed down on site. This creates a large amount of wastage. Also a poor manufacturer may produce a number of low quality products that cant be used. SITE MANAGEMENT: Site management could also be a factor that courses waste. Time management and storage of material on site could course waste if the site management is not as good as it should be. If materials are not used within a limited time period or if when they are not stored properly, its properties might change and therefore may not be suitable for the project. An example of this is if concrete arrives on site and is forced to wait for the site to be ready, then the concrete might start to set and therefore cant be used. TYPES OF WASTE There are two main types of waste in the construction industry, this include solid waste (which may be recycled or taken to landfill) or gasses waste which may be a pollutant. Gaseous waste will be generated from a number of different sources. In the construction process a large amount of plant and heavy machinery will be used. Most of this machinery will be driven by diesel engines which will generate exhaust gases, these gases will be a waste product generated in the contraction process. Waste gasses can also indirectly be generated due to the construction industry, gasses may be produced in the fabrication and manufacturing of different products that are used. Solid waste can also be split into sections, waste that can be recycled or re-used and waste which will be put into landfill. There are a large number of different waste products that could be generated from the construction industries such as, timber, metals, concrete and more serious waste, which may be harder to recycle and reuse. These wastes include plastics, plaster boards and asbestos. How much Waste does the Construction Industry Produce? Construction and demolition (CD) waste includes brick, concrete, hardcore, subsoil and topsoil, but it can also contain quantities of timber, metal, plastics and occasionally special (hazardous) waste materials. Wastes occur from the construction, repair, maintenance and demolition of buildings and structures. The Construction Industry Research and Information Association (CIRIA) have reported that an estimated 72.5 million tonnes of construction and demolition waste are produced annually. This is around 17.5 % of the total waste produced in the U.K. Furthermore, 13 million tonnes of construction materials are delivered to sites in the U.K. and thrown away unused every year. This is not sustainable.[3] EFFECTS OF CONSTRUCTION WASTE ON THE ENVIRONMENT The two main types of waste generated by the construction industry are solid wastes and gaseous wastes. Liquid wastes may also be generated during construction processes, such as cleaning, but the effect of such wastes is minimal and generally local to a particular site. Gaseous waste is a sub-product from the use of machinery in the construction process, transportation of materials and from the production of construction materials. This type of waste is emitted to the air and has inherent effects on air quality. Solid waste can be generated from demolition and excavation or may be unused material from the construction process. Some solid waste may be recycled or reused however the majority is put into landfill sites, because of this the overarching target of the UK governments strategy for sustainable construction is to reduce the amount of construction waste to landfill by 50% by 20121. Solid waste therefore adopts the associated effects on the environment that landfill has. Of the solid waste that is put into landfill the majority comes from the demolition of existing structures and the excavation of material to allow construction, however a relatively small proportion consists of unused materials generated from amongst others, design change, lack of skilled workforce, site untidiness, poor quality materials and manufacture and lack of product information and knowledge. Unused materials will not only contribute to the environmental effects of landfill but will have indirect environmental effects due to transportation, production and packaging. The main environmental effects of waste due to demolition and excavation are emissions from transportation and primarily issues with landfill. Landfills are widely considered to have adverse effects on the surrounding environment and public health. The main types of environmental impacts caused by landfill sites are alteration to surrounding landscape, visual intrusion, degradation of air quality, pollution of ground water and degradation of soil quality. The construction industry makes a considerable contribution as it makes up a large proportion of the total waste assigned to landfill in the UK. Landfill sites generally occupy a large area required for waste disposal itself as well as associated facilities and enough area to minimise the effects on surrounding groundwater and soil quality. Additionally in some cases excavation and movement of material is required to create an area which is suitable for the disposal of waste. Thus, the surrounding landscape is adversely affected. The location of a landfill site is often sensibly chosen so to minimise the effects it has on the surrounding environment, however it may be impossible to locate it so that it is entirely invisible to the public and the negative visual impact a landfill site will have on a community cannot be avoided. Gaseous emissions from a landfill site come from the transportation of waste, use of machinery and more importantly the anaerobic digestion of organic matter producing methane. Generation of gas in a landfill site is one of the largest sources of methane emissions to the atmosphere; methane having a muc h greater global warming effect than carbon dioxide as well as being harmful to humans. Landfill sites therefore have a negative effect on air quality and public health. The precipitation that falls on a landfill coupled with the disposal of liquid wastes results in the extraction of water soluble compounds and particulate material, such as cement, dust and asbestos. Although nowadays measures are generally taken to water-proof a landfill site resulting solutions and mixtures will almost certainly end up in surrounding groundwater and soil. Thus, a degradation of groundwater and soil quality occurs. Gaseous wastes are a by-product of any development but have increased severity in large scale developments which require a large amount of material and associated transportation, use of a greater amount and varying machinery and occur over a longer timescale. Transportation of materials will usually be by road, rail or occasionally by sea. In any case the method of transportation will produce gaseous emissions that will have an overall global warming effect and reduce the air quality locally and regionally. An increased local reduction in air quality occurs in areas around large developments with longer construction times due to the prolonged constant use of machinery in the same area. The production of construction materials also has a significant effect on air quality due to emissions of particularly damaging waste products from industrial plants. WASTE MINIMISATION: Definition of waste minimisation: The reduction of waste at source, by understanding and changing processes to reduce and prevent waste. This is also known as process or resource efficiency. Waste minimisation includes the substitution of less environmentally harmful materials in the production process.[4] Designing out waste at the initial stages of the construction process provides the greatest opportunities for waste minimisation. The best way to manage waste, particularly hazardous waste, is to manage the process so that there is no waste to manage. This is definitely not easy, but the whole aim is that when a similar thought occurs, waste can be minimised if not eliminated. Benefits of Waste Minimisation: * Increase resource efficiency * Reduce costs * Improve environmental performance * Demonstrate best practice * Ensure compliance with legal obligations * Reduce disposal to landfill * economic incentives * social advantages * internal business benefits * external business benefits Waste minimisation contributes to the increase efficiency in the utilisation of resources. It also helps in reduction of cost of overall project, when the expenditure over the waste is reduced; thereby the cost of project also reduces. Waste Minimisation understandsenvironmental improvementssuch as ameliorated pollution control, development of environmentally friendly products Waste Minimisation ensureslegal compliancewith European Directives, UK Legislation and Regulations. Waste minimisation will considerably reduce the disposal to landfill, thereby reducing the landfill tax. Waste Minimisation haseconomic incentivessuch as diluted trade waste costs and better efficiency. It is important that any industry regards in implementing the waste minimisation initiatives because the introduction of the landfill tax means that waste disposal costs are set to increase in the future. Waste Minimisation hassocial benefitsas the recycling and reuse methods allow employment and economic opportunities for local charities, voluntary groups, the community sector and businesses that can reuse or recycle materials. Waste Minimisation hasinternal business benefitsby promoting a cultural change within any industry by nurturing environmental awareness. It also provides an opportunity for staff training and qualifications as well as improved employee motivation. Waste Minimisation hasexternal business benefitsby managing a variety of your businesses stakeholder relationships. Industrys investors, customers, the general public, the regulator, companies within your supply chain and contractors may require evidence of good environmental performance or look for a green image. [5] How to achieve the benefits: Waste minimisation demands action on three fronts: 1. People: Many reductions in waste can be accomplished through improved housekeeping. It is crucial that employees are aware of the issues related to waste and are motivated and trained to prevent it. 2. Methodology: A systematic approach to measurement and control foregrounds deficiencies and problems, alters targets to be set and maintains levels of efficiency. 3. Technology: Capital investment in new technology can enhance productivity and decrease waste generation, giving very short paybacks. METHODS OF WASTE MINIMISATION The process of waste minimisation through Designing out Waste is still at the early stage of development. Many barriers and opportunities exist in developing waste minimisation strategies in design. If this process is considered in the early stages of construction activities, there are opportunities for it to exist. The waste hierarchy (see figure 1) establishes waste reduction as one of the highest priorities for addressing the increasing volumes of waste. The target for any waste reduction strategy must be to focus on opportunities from the outset, at the earliest stages of design. Many barriers and opportunities exist in developing a strategy of waste reduction in design. Opportunities for waste minimisation exist in four construction areas: 1. Project Planning 2. Pre-Construction 3. Off-Site Activities 4. On-Site Activities PROJECT PLANNING: During project planning phase, it is essential that waste management strategy is made for better profit margins. Focus on elimination of waste is the prime factor. Communicating strategies with client, developer, designer, builder, project manager, contractors and suppliers is very important. Analysis on waste reduction plan should be done. PRE CONSTRUCTION: This stage involves three areas where waste reduction is possible. * Designing: proper and accurate dimensions, proposing standard material sizes, building for deconstruction (can be easily reused if future modifications occur with ease and minimum wastage) and operational waste reduction. * Estimating: over estimation of required materials leads to wastage. * Purchasing: Buying environmental friendly items, using procurement policy as specifying manufacturers and suppliers your exact requirements reduces the amount of waste. OFF-SITE ACTIVITIES:  · Prefabrication: By prefabricating frames and trusses, timber waste can be decreased to an extent. ON-SITE ACTIVITIES: * Delivery and storage of materials. * Packaging * Separation of materials. * Safe disposal of unavoidable waste. WASTE MINIMISATION STRATEGIES Managing and monitoring the different waste streams on a construction site requires a detailed waste minimisation strategy. This needs careful planning throughout the design, build and occupancy phases, to ensure its success, effectiveness and compliance with building regulations. There are three basic strategies for dealing with waste: reduce, reuse and recycle. Waste prevention is the ideal, and this can be addressed first by identifying possible waste streams early on in the build process, and then designing for their minimisation. Using standard sizes for building components (windows, doors etc.) can prevent future waste, as can design for deconstruction, using recyclable components. It has been estimated that over ordering accounts for 13 million tonnes of new building materials being thrown out every year. Better communication between building professionals to ensure exact calculations of required materials are made can mean that this waste is prevented. Just-in-time delivery strategies can further reduce waste created by improper storage and weather damage. Once waste has been produced, the best method of managing it is through reuse either on the existing site, or a nearby site. Many materials can be usefully reclaimed, and even sold to offset the costs of a building project. Recycling materials is the final option for managing waste. Materials that can be reused or recycled need to be identified early on the build process, and segregated for easy storage, collection and transfer. For the strategy to be effective, links also need to be established with local recycling and reuse facilities and contractors. [6] OCCUPANCY WASTE Sustainable building practice goes one step further than conventional practice, by designing for waste minimisation in the operation of the building, through grey water recycling, composting toilets, on site food composting and off-site recycling facilities, thus helping to reduce residential waste. [7] LEGISLATIVE ASPECTS OF WASTE MANAGEMENT: LANDFILL TAX The landfill tax aims to encourage waste producers to produce less waste, recover more value from waste, through recycling or composting, and to use more environmentally friendly methods of waste disposal. The tax applies to active and inert waste, disposed of at a licensed landfill site. The aims of the landfill tax are: * To promote the polluter pays principle, by increasing the price of landfill to better reflect its environmental costs; * To promote a more sustainable approach to waste management in which less waste is produced and more is recovered or recycled. There are two rates of tax. Inactive waste is subject to the lower rate at  £2 per tonne. Active waste is subject to  £15 per tonne, rising at  £3 per tonne per year from 2005/06 towards a long-term rate of  £35 per tonne. Her Majestys Customs and Excise has updated its General Note on the Landfill Tax. The guidance replaces the previous version (February 2000) to include the changes to the tax liability of materials re-used on landfill sites; permits issued under regulations under section 2 of the Pollution Prevention and Control Act (1999) that authorise deposits or disposals in, or on the land; the changes to the liability to pay landfill tax and changes to the Landfill Tax Credit Scheme. The Landfill Tax Regulations have been clarified following a legal challenge brought by a waste management company last year. [8] SITE WASTE MANAGEMENT PLANS (SWMPS) Site Waste Management Plans (SWMPs) are an important tool for construction companies and their clients, of all sizes, to improve their environmental performance, meet regulatory controls and reduce rising costs of disposing of waste. This document sets out the basic structure of SWMPs and how companies can best use them to improve and manage their operations at all stages of site activity. It includes useful checklists and other guidance to help ensure the Plan is a practical tool. Note that it is not essential for there to be a separate SWMP document for your site the guidance given here can equally well be included in a Waste Management Section of an overall Site Environmental Management Plan.[9] THE PURPOSE OF SWMPS: SWMPs aim to address two key issues: 1. Improving materials resource efficiency, by promoting the economic use of construction materials and methods so that waste is minimised and any waste that is produced can be re-used, recycled or recovered in other ways before disposal options are explored; and 2. Reducing fly-tipping, by restricting the opportunities available for the illegal disposal of waste by ensuring compliance with existing legal controls and providing a full audit trail of any waste that is removed from the construction site. Although it is a legal requirement to write and implement a SWMP, the greatest cost savings are likely to be achieved as a result of the consideration of materials resource efficiency which will be a necessary part of the preparation, before the SWMP is drafted. [10] WASTE AS A VALUABLE RESOURCE Effective waste management can reduce building and operating costs, enhance the reputation of the building industry, and also generate new revenue streams through developing recycling and reclaiming markets. Reducing construction waste also saves landfill space, conserves valuable natural resources, saves energy and creates less pollution by reducing transportation and manufacturing processes, with a mitigating effect on climate change. CONCLUSION: According to the ODPM waste survey (2001), the CD industry in Wales produces around 5.02 million tonnes of waste per year; this is around 30% of all controlled waste arising in Wales. Given the scale of the construction industry in Wales and the quantity of waste produced, it has great potential to lead the way in waste minimisation, re-use and recycling.[11] Waste minimisation is now an instituted business practice for many organisations and a number of industries have enforced waste reduction programmes. Reducing waste is a key to a cleaner world and more competitive industry. It would not be fair to conclude that building services should undergo revolutionary redesign or standardisation just to reduce wastes in construction. However, the reduction of waste, in terms of materials or time is beneficial to all because a reduction in cost will result in better systems within the same budget. [1] CIOB. ().Sustainability and Construction.Available: www.ciob.org.uk/filegrab/sustainability.pdf?ref=74. Last accessed 6 December 2009. [2] CIBSE. ().DESIGNING TO ENCOURAGE WASTE MINIMISATION IN THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY.Available: http://www.cibse.org/pdfs/Construction%20waste%20minim.pdf. Last accessed 6 December 2009. [3] CIOB. ().Sustainability and Construction.Available: www.ciob.org.uk/filegrab/sustainability.pdf?ref=74. Last accessed 6 December 2009. [4] Welsh Assembly Government. ().Waste prevention and minimisation.Available: http://new.wales.gov.uk/topics/environmentcountryside/epq/waste_recycling/Waste_prevention_minimisation?lang=en. Last accessed 6 December 2009. [5] Perth Kinross Council . (2008).Benefits of waste minimisation.Available: http://www.pkc.gov.uk/Planning+and+the+environment/Waste+and+recycling/Commercial+waste/Waste+minimisation+for+business/Benefits+of+waste+minimisation.htm. Last accessed 6 December 2009. [6] Sustainable Build. ().Reducing and Managing Waste.Available: http://www.sustainablebuild.co.uk/ReducingManagingWaste.html. Last accessed 6 December 2009. [7] Sustainable Build. ().Reducing and Managing Waste.Available: http://www.sustainablebuild.co.uk/ReducingManagingWaste.html. Last accessed 6 December 2009. [8] Welsh Assembly Government. ().Landfill tax.Available: http://wales.gov.uk/topics/environmentcountryside/epq/waste_recycling/landfilltax/?lang=en. Last accessed 6 December 2009. [9] dti. (2004).SITE WASTE MANAGEMENT PLANS.Available: http://www.wrap.org.uk/downloads/site_waste_management_plan.b230bcd7.2323.pdf. Last accessed 6 December 2009. [10] defra. (2008).Non-statutory guidance for site waste management plans.Available: http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/waste/topics/construction/pdf/swmp-guidance.pdf. Last accessed 6 December 2009. [11] Welsh Assembly Government. ().Construction and Demolition.Available: http://wales.gov.uk/topics/environmentcountryside/epq/waste_recycling/construction_demolition/?lang=en. Last accessed 6 December 2009.

Design Of A Psychological Experiment Essays -- essays research papers

Design of a Psychological Experiment Psyc 100 (0110-0129) Fall, 1996 Dr. Sternheim Report #1 (10 points) Problem: Suppose you are a psychologist who is interested in the effects of caffeine on the eye-hand coordination of students enrolled at UMCP. Design an experiment to test the hypothesis that caffeine enhances a student's ability to hit a baseball. Describe your experiment by answering the following questions: 1) What are the independent and dependent variables? The independent variable would be the caffeine. The results of the students' hitting of the baseball would be the dependent variable. 2) What are the experimental conditions and what are the tasks for the experimenter, the participants in your experiment, and any other people you might ask to help? The experimental condit...

Finland: Nationalism, Development, and Values Essay -- World War II, Ru

While Finland is a rather young country in terms of independence, seeing that it was only in 1917 that it became independent, it is a country that has had a constant development of nationalism, values, and national identity. Finnish nationalism is highly shaped by its past before it was an independent country and by its neighbor, Russia. It also is affected by the three Wars which would involve its neighbor Russia. The three wars fought in WWII, events leading up to them, and their end results are all key points in developing Finnish Nationalism. These wars are the Winter War (1939-40) and the Continuation War (1941-44) in which Finland fought the Russians during WWII. Lastly, is the Lapland War (1944-45) in which the Finnish retreated from the Germans. These wars had lasting effects up until 1991 and dissolution of the USSR, making them huge factors on Finnish nationalism (Historical Highlights) . The effects of WWII would be gruesome for Finland and help shape its nationali sm for Finland today. Finland was originally an independent country when it was settled by Laps in about the year 700. This independence was short lived after it was incorporated into the Kingdom of Sweden in the twelfth century for nearly 700 years. Swedish would become the dominant language. Under Swedish rule, Finland would be introduced to Roman Catholicism. This would help to include Finland with the western culture. Also, Finland would come to experience similar economic and social experiences that Sweden would. Finland would nearly have no sense of national identity for a period of time. Finland would essentially be considered a part of Sweden. Then, in 1807, Finland would be conquered by Russia and remain a part of Russia up until its inde... ...allenge to Peacemakers (Mar., 1944), pp.33-38. Kirby, David (2006). A concise history of Finland. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. p. 343. Manninen, Laura. "War and Remembrance: An Aftermath of the Lapland War." Ethnologia Scandinavica 21(1991):53-63. Reese, Roger R. "Surrender And Capture In The Winter War And Great Patriotic War: Which Was The Anomaly?." Global War Studies 8.1 (2011): 87-98. Historical Abstracts. Web. 5 Dec. 2013. Tillotson, H.M. (1993). Finland at peace & war 1918–1993. Michael Russell. Trueman, Chris. "The Winter War 1939." The Winter War 1939. HistoryLearningSite.co.uk, n.d. Web. 9 Dec 2013. . cited Vares, Vesa. "Creating A State And National Identity. Finland And Europe: 1918-1922." Valahian Journal Of Historical Studies 14.(2010): 79-104. Historical Abstracts. Web. 7 Dec. 2013.

Reflection in Living, Loving, And Learning by Leo Buscaglia Essay

Living, Loving, and Learning: Buscaglia Reflection While reading Leo Buscaglia's book, Living, Loving & Learning, I was able to reflect back on some of the experiences I have had in my life that have helped to make me the person I am today, and I was able to look into the future at what I would like to become. I was able to see how well I know myself and what I have to offer others. I was able to see the things I don't like about myself and determine some of the ways I can make myself better. This is some of what reflecting on my life and looking ahead while reading Buscaglia has taught me. A. "You Cannot give to anybody what you do not have." I went to Juab High School in the small town of Nephi, Utah. Like many other small town high schools, football coaches and P.E. teachers doubled as Algebra teachers and Science teachers. This allowed our school to make full use of the limited teachers and resources that it had. There was a lot of talented people that taught at Juab and some of them made great teachers and coaches, but some of them didn't. Sometimes it ended up that the football coach/algebra teacher cared a little more about tomorrow's football game than he did about ensuring his algebra students knew how to balance equations, and sometimes the P.E./Science teacher cared a little more about the teaching the tennis unit than she did about teaching the four life processes. Those teachers were also the ones that had to relearn the algebra and science lessons a few days before they taught them to us, because on paper they were qualified to do the job, but as far as knowing the material and having an interest in what they were trying to give to us, nothing was there. Have you ever tried to get someone excited about a subject that you knew nothing about? Have you ever had a math teacher that sent you across the hall to get help from someone else because he didn't understand what he was trying to teach you? It can be pretty hard sometimes to get excited about something if your teacher doesn't get excited about it. These teachers tried to give us something that they didn't have. When I was in middle school I had another teacher that tried to give us what she didn't have. She was the health teacher, but because of some addictions to drugs, she really wasn't very healthy. It was sad, because she taught us from the book t... ...t a fantastic one." (Buscaglia 83) I chose this quote from the writings of Buscaglia because it ties up all of his ideas into one little bundle. If you were to give someone a gift and then watched them neglect it, abuse it, or destroy it, your feelings would be hurt and you would be pretty upset. But if you were able to see them show it off to their friends, love it, and take care of it, you would feel like that person appreciated the gift and it would be almost like a gift to you. Upon reading this quote is where I took the opportunity to look into the future. The gift that God gave me is a wonderful one. Sometimes I have a hard time seeing my life as being wonderful because I make so many mistakes. But life is wonderful because life is about making mistakes. It is what we do with them that is important. I know that God always sees me as being wonderful. God loves me. He gave me life. God wants me, and every other person, to become the very best that we can be, and then to become even better. He wants us to nurture life, to love life, and to live it. Let's do our best. Works Cited Buscaglia, Leo. Living, Loving, Learning. Ballantine Books (1985).

Tension and Suspicion Between U.S. and Russia

Name Teacher AP U. S. History October 8, 2012 DBQ From the years of 1941 to 1949, there was an increase in suspicion and tension between the United States and the Soviet Union. The Soviet Union was a Communist country ruled by a dictator while America was a capitalist democracy that valued freedom. Their completely different beliefs and aims caused friction to form between them, which contributed to the creation of the Cold War. At the start of the first world war, Germany and the Soviet Union signed a nonaggression pact.With Germany and the Soviet Union being allies, the rest of the world had their suspicions. In the U. S. , Senator Truman expressed his dislike of both countries and his view of them as potential enemies(Doc A). Unfortunately for the Soviet Union, the pact between him and Hitler was soon broken by a German invasion. The invasion of the Soviet Union on June 22, 1941 was a surprise to everyone, especially Stalin who was not prepared for it. According to Churchill, it w as the turning point of the war. This turn on Stalin seemed like a great thing, if the Soviet Union hadn’t collapsed so quickly.With the fear of the Soviet Union’s surrender, Churchill and Roosevelt secretly met in the historic Atlantic Conference in August 1941. An outcome of the conference was the eight-point Atlantic Charter, where Churchill and Roosevelt agreed to defeat Germany before turning to Japan, and they planned for a new world organization, and affirmed their commitment to self-determination for all nations. In the midst of war, tensions were expressed in terms of which nation will emerge as world leader after the war.By 1943, the Allied nations were all committed to winning the war and creating a world in which â€Å"men in all lands may live out their lives in freedom from fear and want. † That was there goal even though they had yet come up with the basis for a world organization. In 1943, the foreign ministers of the United States, the Soviet Un ion, and Great Britain all met to discuss and define their goal. The United States Secretary of State, Cordell Hull, made the flight to journey to Moscow for the conference(Doc B). The Moscow Declaration was signed on October 30, 1943.In December, two months later, the three leaders issued a â€Å"Declaration of the Three Powers Regarding Iran. † The Soviet Union had committed to joining the war against Japan and expressed support for Roosevelt's plans for the United Nations. Roosevelt felt confident that he had won Stalin's trust by proving that the U. S. was willing to negotiate directly with the Soviet Union and by guaranteeing the opening of the second front in France by the spring of 1944. However, Stalin also gained tentative concessions on Eastern Europe that would be confirmed during the later wartime conferences.In 1945, the famed meeting of the heads of government of the United States, Britain, and the Soviet Union was held to discuss the reestablishment of the nati ons of a war-torn Europe. The Yalta Conference, held near Yalta in the Crimea, was the second of three wartime conferences held among the Big Three. The Yalta conferees, Roosevelt, Stalin, and Churchill, confirmed the policy adopted at the Casablanca Conference of demanding Germany's unconditional surrender. There they made plans to divide Germany into four zones of occupation under a united control commission in Berlin for war crimes trials.The Polish eastern border would follow the Curzon Line, and Poland would receive territorial compensation in the West from Germany. Discussing Poland, Churchill wanted to ensure free elections. He pointed out that the U. K. â€Å"could never be content with any solution that did not leave Poland a free and independent state. † Stalin pledged to permit free elections in Poland, but forestalled ever honoring his promise. Stalin talked with Roosevelt and concluded that Churchill didn’t understand the Russian’s fears regarding G ermany(Doc C).These misunderstandings caused new suspicions on both sides. The Big Three asked China and France to join them in sponsoring the founding conference of the United Nations. The USSR secretly agreed to enter the war against Japan within three months of Germany's surrender and was promised S. Sakhalin, the Kuril Islands, and an occupation zone in Korea. The secret agreement also provided that the Manchurian railroads should be under joint Chinese-Soviet administration. The subsequent outbreak of the cold war and Soviet successes in EasternEurope led to much criticism in the United States of the Yalta Conference and of Roosevelt, who was accused of delivering Eastern Europe to Communist domination. In the Soviet Union, foreign minister V. M. Molotov made a broadcast following the Truman Doctrine and the Marshall Plan(Doc E). Molotov felt compelled to take preventive actions in response. Molotov condemned the Marshall Plan as imperialistic and he claimed it was dividing Eur ope into a capitalist and communist camp. In response he initiated the Molotov Plan.This plan created several bilateral relations between the states of Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union and later evolved into the Council for Mutual Economic Assistance. Molotov was expressing the views of many Russians, that they saw the West as reneging on its promises made at Yalta and Potsdam. In the United States, an article was published in The New York Times announcing that Czechoslovakia had become a communist state(Doc F). Under pressure from the Czechoslovakian Communist Party, President Eduard Benes allows a communist-dominated government to be organized.In response, America eliminated a large loan to Czechoslovakia that outraged parties in Czechoslovakia. In the London Evening Standard, a cartoon was published portraying Stalin plotting to conquer the rest of Europe(Doc G). The symbolism of the cartoon in Great Britain was the heightened distrust of Russian leaders and it was concrete ev idence of the tensions that sparked the Cold War. Although the Soviet Union did not physically intervene, Western observers decried the virtually bloodless communist coup as an example of Soviet expansion into Eastern Europe.Even though the United States and Great Britain denounced the communist seizure of power in Czechoslovakia, neither took any direct action. Throughout the years of 1945-1948, there was a poll conducted in the United States(Doc H). Each year, a person was asked a question about their feelings toward the Soviet Union. In 1945, a little more than half of the people voted that yes, they believe Russia could be trusted to cooperate with us after the war. In early 1946, the question was if they thought Russia could cooperate with us in world affairs. Half said no. Later that year, 60% voted hat they saw Russia was trying to build herself up to be the ruling power of the world. In May 1948, almost 70% saw the U. S. as being to soft in its policy toward Russia. The heig htened tensions, suspicions, and fears that became associated with the Cold War can be seen in the dramatic shifts in public opinion. With the Soviet Union now a threat, 10 European nations, Canada, and the U. S. established the North American Treaty Organization (NATO) to resist Soviet aggression in Europe. With the Soviet Union somewhat humiliated by the success of the Berlin airlift, they finally ended the Berlin Blockade.It was a success for the West until tension was again increased when the U. S. S. R. sets off its first atomic bomb. Now that the Soviet Union had successfully developed and conducted nuclear tests, the U. S. monopoly was over. Suspicions and tensions between the United States and the Soviet Union were seen dramatically from 1941 to 1949 in conferences, public announcements, newspaper articles, and even public surveys. Countries as a whole distrusted each other because of their different beliefs. Each side was engaged in hostility that kept the Cold War brooding .

History and Significance of Cavendish Banana Essay

The banana plant, or Musa acuminata, is one of the most important fruiting plants on Earth. This plant belongs to the Musaceae family, also known as the â€Å"banana family†. The genus Musa refers to â€Å"large herbaceous flowering plants† with fruit that is usually elongated and curved, with a yellow, purple, or red rind covering soft starchy fruit (Merriam-Webster). Banana plants are often mistaken for trees, because their â€Å"false stem† or pseudostem resembles a tree trunk. However, trees are dicots with organized vascular bundles while banana plants are monocots, which have scattered vascular bundles. The average cultivated banana plant stands at 16 feet tall, although they may range from 10 to 23 feet (Nelson 26). A mature banana plant forms an inflorescence at the top of the pseudostem, a structure known as the â€Å"banana heart†. Each banana heart usually develops bunches of banana fruits made up of tiers (called â€Å"hands†) with as ma ny as 20 fruit to a tier. â€Å"Cultivated bananas are sterile and develop the typical seedless fruits without the need for pollination† (Van Wyk). Bananas are one of the most important fruits because of the role they play in the global economy, food security, and the everyday lives of people around the world. Bananas originated in Southeast Asia, which is still the center of banana diversity in flavor, scent, texture, color, shape, and size. However, bananas were most likely domesticated first in Papua New Guinea, where cultivation can be traced back to times between 5000 and 8000BC. Around 1000AD, the banana crop spread to Africa through Indo-Malaysian immigrants who colonized Madagascar, and also to the Pacific region (Van Wyk). In the 15th and 16th centuries, banana plantations began to sprout up in the Atlantic Islands, Brazil, and western Africa under the care of Portuguese colonists. Shortly following the Civil War, North Americans started eating bananas on a small and expensive scale. In the 1880s, banana consumption in the United States became a lot more widespread due to advancements in transportation and refrigeration (Koeppel). Today, Americans eat more bananas than apples and oranges combined (Koeppel). This development of modern transportation networks and storage materials allowed for the introduction of the earliest modern banana plantations located in Jamaica and other regions in the Western Caribbean Zone and Central America (New Zealand Herald). This yellow fruit has played a big role in economies all over the world. Banana plants are currently being produced in over 107 different countries, primarily for their and less frequently for producing fiber, banana wine, and as ornamental plants. The 2011 study of production and exportation of bananas and plantains by the Food and Agricultural Organization found that worldwide, we produced a total crop of 145 million metric tonnes. India led the world by producing 20% of this, followed by Uganda, China, the Philippines, and Ecuador. However, the leading exporters of bananas and plantains were Ecuador (which exported 5.2 million metric tonnes, making up 29% of worldwide banana and plantain exportation) followed by Costa Rica, Colombia, the Philippines, and Guatemala. Although plantains were included in this study, Ecuador did specify that 93% of its exportation statistic was made up of solely bananas (FAOSTAT). The delicious fruit is used frequently in the daily lives of people around the world. Bananas can be eaten raw or baked in both savory and sweet dishes. Some popular examples are fruit salads, milkshakes, yogurts, pancakes, breads, and the famous banana split. Plantains are not distinguished from bananas in some parts of the world because they are very similar, but can be differentiated by their lower sugar and higher starch content. Plantains are usually used as a vegetable in African and West Indian cuisine. Bananas are cultivated on an extremely large scale in tropical regions, so they remain a big staple in the diets of millions of people in Asian and African populations, and in other developing countries (Van Wyk). Since banana plants produce fruit all year, they present an invaluable food source during the time of year between harvests known as the â€Å"hunger season†. This, combined with their exceptional nutritional value—an individual banana has an energy yield of about 95-125 kcal and the ripe fruit comes equipped with a large variety of essential vitamins and minerals—makes them essential to food security worldwide (Anania, van Wyk). Price competition among supermarkets has reduced margins, leading to lower prices for growers. Chiquita, Del Monte, Dole, and Fyffes have somewhat of a monopoly over the banana plantation business, and their plantations are centralized in Ecuador, Colombia, Costa Rica, Guatemala, and Honduras. Many producers in these countries are wealthy land owners that have tried to raise their prices by marketing their bananas as â€Å"fair trade† or Rainforest Alliance-certified (Wikipedia). The term â€Å"banana republic† has been used to describe countries like Costa Rica, Honduras, and Panama because the banana trade has become the dominant part of their economy. Banana producers have also played a large political role, including â€Å"working with local elites and their rivalries to influence politics or play to the international interests of the United States, especially during the Cold War, to keep the political climate favorable to their interests† (New Zealand Herald). Although banana production is a huge industry, the entire banana species is facing an increasingly serious problem. The most popular cultivar of bananas was Gros Michel for quite some time, but after an attack by a soil fungus called the Panama disease, this cultivar was almost completely wiped out. After a large amount of agricultural research, scientists were able to produce the Cavendish cultivar, which has made up the majority of banana crops for the past 40 years. However, the Cavendish banana is also in danger. T he Black Sigatoka fungus has begun to attack Cavendish banana plants all over the world. This once high-yielding crop has decreased in yield by 50-70% and the lifespan of banana plants has dropped from about 30 years to an average of only two (Alison). Researchers blame the vulnerability of the banana plants on the monogenetic cultivation, resulting from commercial motives. Plantation owners and farmers have been selectively breeding bananas since the beginning of their cultivation 10,000 years ago, which is why the modern cultivar is seedless and sterile (Alison). This has resulted in banana crops with no genetic diversity, which leaves them helpless against environmental stresses, including disease and crop pests. Some experts predict that cultivation of the Cavendish banana will become unviable within the next 10-20 years, so agricultural researchers are searching for an equivalent banana cultivar, but it has proven difficult because most of the cultivars used in other countries produce bananas that are more starchy and thus used in cooking instead of eaten raw as a sweet snack. Over time, genetic modification and selective breeding of bananas has transformed what we know as a banana from a small, seed-filled, starchy, wild banana to the huge-in-comparison Cavendish dessert banana (Figure 1). Because of this, various hybridization and genetic engineering programs are exploring the wild banana genomes in an attempt to produce a â€Å"disease-resistant, mass-market banana† (Wikipedia). Bananas represent a delicious and essential part of the world’s economy and food security, so hopefully the extensive agricultural research will pay off to create a new banana that is ready to ward off environmental pressures. Cavendish bananas are the most important cultivar in the world, representing all of the exports in the statistical figures discussed earlier†¦ The Cavendish â€Å"dessert banana† that is eaten raw and is most common in the US is the one that is under attack by the Black Sigatoka fungus. â€Å"why bananas† instead of going through prompt. Figure 1: The common Cavendish dessert banana, left, is shown with the seed-filled wild variety (Mestel) Bibliography Alison, Robert. World: Bananas are a Dying Breed. Globe and Mail. 19 July 2003. www.corpwatch.org Anania, Giovanni. How would a WTO agreement on bananas affect exporting and importing countries? July 2009, Issue Paper No.21, ICTSD â€Å"Banana†. Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary. Retrieved 2013-01-04 â€Å"Banana†. Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/banana Big-business greed killing the banana – Independent, via The New Zealand Herald, Saturday May 24, 2008, Page A19 â€Å"FAOSTAT†. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Van Wyk, Ben-Erik. Food Plants of the World, an Illustrated Guide. October 2005. Timber Press. Koeppel, Dan. Banana: The Fate of the Fruit that Changed the World (New York: Hudson Street Press, 2008), pp. 51–53 ISBN 0-452-29008-2 Koeppel, Dan. Yes We Will Have No Bananas. New York Times. 18 June 2008. Nelson, Ploetz & Kepler 2006, p.26 Mestel, Rosie. Banana genome sequencing gives a boost to pest-plagued fruit. Los Angeles Times. 11 July 2012. http://articles.latimes.com