How Important Is Prince Henry (Prince Hal) in Henry IV-Part 1? Essay

In the play Henry IV part 1, we see that Prince Henry (Prince Hal) plays an important part in the whole plot. We see that he is the focal point of the plays main themes. Prince Hal spent almost all of his time in the tavern with Sir John Falstaff, his best friend. In act 2 scene 4, Prince Hal has an interesting conversation with Falstaff. At first, the conversation begins with a little light-hearted humour when Sir John plays the King interviewing the Prince and Prince Hal plays as himself. Falstaff, playing the King, starts the conversation by saying, â€Å"Peace, good pint-pot, peace† to me as a reader this seemed quite funny in the sense that a ‘King of England’ would address his son, the prince a pint-pot. Falstaff then said, while still playing the King, â€Å"I do not only marvel where thou spendest thy time, but also how thou art accompanied.† He later went on to say, â€Å"And yet there is a virtuous man whom I have often noted in thy company, but I know not his name.† Really all this time Falstaff was asking Prince Hal about himself. Knowing this Prince Hal asked the ‘king’ â€Å"what manner of man, and it like your majesty? By this time, Falstaff had most probably thought of enough words to praise himself and so replied, â€Å"A goodly portly man, I’ faith, and a corpulent; of a cheerful look, a pleasing eye, and a most noble carriage.† What he meant by this was that he was a very dignified man with a good figure and that he had a noble behaviour. Prince Hal now decided that it was time for him to play King and for Falstaff to play Prince but Falstaff thought otherwise; he replied, â€Å"Dispose me? If thou dost it Prince Half so gravely, so majestically, both in word and matter, hang me up by the heels for a rabbit-sucker, or a poulter’s hare.† This meant that Falstaff felt quite offended by Prince Hal suggesting such a thing. Prince Hal had another idea, instead of praising Falstaff; Prince Hal thought it would be amusing to disgrace him. Prince Hal spoke out as the King, â€Å"Thou art violently carried away from grace. There is a devil haunts thee in the likeness of an old fat man.† This to Falstaff would seem almost as an insult and for his defence replies, â€Å"But to say I know more harm in him than in myself were to say more than I know. That he is old, the more the pity.† Falstaff felt as though he had been insulted but still tried to make it sound as though he were still joking. For Prince Hal the major turning point in his life was when he went to have an interview with his father the King. This meeting not only showed Prince Hal how disappointed his father was, but also showed him how wrong he had been up to now. As soon as he realised this he asked for forgiveness from his father, he did this by s aying, â€Å"Find pardon on my true submission.† His father replied, â€Å"God pardon thee!† The most important part of Prince Hal’s reformation was when he decided to ride into battle alongside his father Henry IV. Hotspur (Harry Percy) had led a rebellion and wanted to overthrow Henry IV so his son Prince Hal promised that he himself would fight Hotspur to the end. Before the battle had begun Vernon, Hotspurs cousin came to Hotspur and described how great Prince Hal looked. He said, â€Å"All furnish’d, all in arms; all plum’d like estridges that with the wind bated, like eagles having lately bath’d; Glittering in golden coats like images; As full of spirit as the month of May, And gorgeous as the sun at midsummer.† Hotspur could not take this anymore and was just lost for words when he heard his own cousin, a rebel fighter saying such brilliant words about someone he was just about to fight. The final battle between Prince Hal and Hotspur was the grand finale of the completion of Prince Hal’s reformation. Hotspur however mocks Prince Hal a little and boasts about himself as well. Hotspur does this by saying, â€Å"Harry, for the hour is come to end the one of us; and would to God thy name in arms were now as great as mine!† To Hal this would have been enough to push him and fight Hotspur. Throughout the play Henry IV, Shakespeare used different devices of language. To distinguish the dignified people he used blank verse. We see an example of this whenever the king speaks for instance when the King speaks to his eldest son Hal, â€Å"I no not whether God will have it so.† Another device which Shakespeare uses is imagery, there is a good example of this is when Worcester (his uncle) speaks to Hotspur and Northumberland (his father) when they plan to hold the rebellion. â€Å"As full of peril and adventurous spirit as to o’er-walk a current roaring loud on the unsteadfast footing of a spear.† To a reader these words would give them the image of a roaring river with a spear as a bridge on which to cross over. Another device, which is used in the play, is dramatic irony. We see this when the prince is alone in his apartment and thinking aloud to himself about his reformation and how he will amaze everyone when he does so. In the play, many characters speak about Prince Hal. Falstaff his best friend sometimes addresses him as ‘mad wag’ or ‘the most comparative, rascalliest, sweet young Prince.’ All these names that Falstaff called him were all meant as a joke and never said seriously. Hotspur, Hal’s rival to the throne of England said many things about him, some of which are ‘The madcap Prince of Wales’ and when they finally met at the battlefield, he mocked Hal by saying that he wished that Hal was as great a fighter as he was. The King also said that he would rather have Hotspur as his son and his next heir to the throne than Hal, â€Å"He hath more worthy interest to the state than thou the shadow of succession.† Throughout the play, no one described Prince Hal as greatly as Vernon (Hotspurs cousin). He described Prince Hal to Hotspur so magnificently that Hotspur even told him to stop talking because he could not hear Prince Hal’s praises anymore. Hal was described by Vernon, â€Å"All furnish’d, all in arms; all plum’d like estridges that with the wind bated, like eagles having lately bath’d; Glittering in golden coats like images; As full of spirit as the month of May, And gorgeous as the sun at midsummer. Wanton as youthful goats, wild as young bulls, I saw young Harry with his beaver on, his cushes on his thighs, gallantly arm’d, rise from the ground like feather’d Mercury, and vaulted with such ease into his seat as if an angel dropp’d down from the clouds to turn and wind a fiery Pegasus, and witch the world with noble horsemanship.† As this came from a rebel fighter, this emphasised the fact that the impact that Prince Hal had on everybody was astounding. My conclusion is that Prince Henry (Hal) plays an important role in the play because he manages to have an affect on everyone and everyone seems to be effected by him. Prince Hal is also the next heir to the throne in succession of his father Henry IV so he therefore is an important person and he has to uphold certain responsibilities and cannot let people like Falstaff sway him in the wrong direction.

Inside Islam notes Essay

Islam means Peace and Submission (The peace that comes from submission, the attention to God that comes from peace.) Allah Akbar means â€Å"God is great.† Sunni = 85% of Muslim population; Shia = 10%; Sufi less than 5% Islam is not only a religion of the Middle East: largest population of Muslims is in India. Largest Islamic country is Indonesia. Of same faith tradition as both Christians and Jews Muslims & Jews are both monotheistic, differ only on mainly messianic theology Places of worship differ yet can coexist; Spain fostered all three Abrahamic faiths during pre-Ferdinand and Isabella era (pre-1492) Part 2 of 9: Pre Muslim Mecca, Quraish tribe, Muhammad’s early years & first vision, Qur’an, 1st pillar shahadah, and start of 2nd pillar prayer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KtFkhC7DIIo Muslims descended from Hagar and Ishmael, who fled to the desert Abraham, according to Muslim legend, built Ka’ba  Quraysh tribe controlled Mecca as trading city. Later put icons and statues of various tribal Gods inside Ka’ba so Mecca would become even more important as a pilgrimage site. Muhammad was born several generations later in 570 AD into a wealthy family. His dad died, his grandfather sent him to live with trading caravans. As a young man he became a talented caravanier, married Khadijah Muhammad illiterate, so others recorded his recitations Qur’an means â€Å"recitation,† a mix of poetry, stories, admonitions, advice and warnings. Part 3 of 9: 2nd pillar (prayer) continued, Muhammad gains followers, conflict with Meccans, Hijra, to Ummayad dynasty; beginning of 3rd pillar: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5h4bcCSsc9A&NR=1 Muhammad gave sermons against polytheism to pilgrims arriving at the Ka’ba in Mecca; was persecuted by Quraish Muhammad had no strong political ally, few followers initially. Journeyed to Yathrib (later named Medina, â€Å"City of the Prophet†) to arbitrate dispute between city states. Became year 0 in Islamic calendar, 622 CE. Set up first Islamic community (Ummah) Meccans were enraged, attacked Medina to destroy Muslims. Battle of Badr, outnumbered by Meccans, yet Medinans won Muslims triumphed 630 AD Muslims returned to Mecca Cleansed Abraham’s sacred temple (Ka’ba) of idols of pilgrims, kept the Ka’ba (lit. â€Å"cube†) as the central expression of monotheism Offered Meccans freedom for peace, many converted Arab tribes came to pay tribute to Muhammad and convert Umayyads 1st dynasty 750   Within a century of Muhammad’s death Muslims controlled more land than the Roman Empire—Turkey to parts of China. Jews and Christians were exempt from conversion to Islam 3rd pillar: Charity is heavily emphasized in the Qur’an, even more than the subordinate status of women Part 4 of 9: 3rd pillar, charity, continued; 4th pillar, Ramadan, Abbasid dynasty; Crusades; Mongols: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZKsm3O23Itg&NR=1 3rd Pillar: Charity: From everything you own you give 2.5% All money collected must be given to those in need  One must follow the fast during the month of Ramadan as the 4th pillar Fast lasts from sunrise till sunset  Exceptions are made for the sick, weak, children, and the mothers who are expecting It’s a time to intensify your efforts to build your relationship with God The festival of the great Eid (Lit. festival) of the breaking of the fast Shia split from the Sunni after the death of Hussein (680 AD) There was a discrepancy of how leaders should be put in place Shia believed that leaders should be direct descendants of Muhammad Sunni believed leadersshould be elected democratically 8th century golden age in Iraq, Abbasid dynasty arose in Bagdad Abbasids valued learning, Greek philosophy and natural science. Algebra invented, decimals, exponents. Medicine developed, orthopedics, mental illness treatment, surgery. Crusades: Jerusalem is 3rd most sacred city for Muslims 1099: Christians slaughter 30k Muslims 1258 Genghis Khan’s grandson & his Mongols plundered Bagdad Part 5 of 9: Mongol era: 5th Pillar, Hajj; in Spain, interfaith cooperation: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KXWJDY8AsFo&feature=related The Mongol Khan becomes a Muslim, Lesser pilgrimage can be taken to Mecca at any time of the year (min 0:30) Hajj, the greater pilgrimage, occurs only once a year a. Ihram1 = 2 white cloths in which you will be buried are worn during Hajj, significance is equality, Ihram2 is also = peaceful demeanor to accept all as brothers & sisters. b. Ablution (ritual washing) leads to first stage: circumambulation 7 times God is the axis of one’s life c. 2nd step is to march between 2 hills representing Hagar’s search for water for Ismael; represents one’s struggle in life d. Next day they travel to the plain of Arafat. Pilgrims walk in quiet prayer confessing sins at Mount of Arafat. e. Next, to Mina to throw stones at 3 pillars representing Satan, sins are forgiven f. Last event prayer service at Ka’ba Muslim scholars preserved writings from hordes 711 CE: Muslims arrive at Gibraltar a. Called Moors, dwelled in Andalusia, cities of Cordoba & Seville b. Horticulture, math, navigation developed c. Muslim, Jewish & Christian scholars worked together became a source for the Renaissance Part 6 of 9: Spain, Ottoman Empire; place of women; Colonialism: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6olUPtXRC6U&NR=1 Reconquista, Christian re-conquest of Spain expelling Moors and forcing conversion or expulsion of Jews 1492 the Moors were kicked out of Spain  1453 Greek Constantinople fell to Muslim troops; name changed to Istanbul = â€Å"Islam in Abundance† Sultan was the ruler of Islamic Ottoman society. Sultan means ruler Sultan’s Harem (Haram – forbidden, taboo)– group of concubines, in Western eyes they are dens of iniquity, but in Islamic practice they were centers of protection for women and sources for caucusing about political power Islamic polygamy: all wives need to be treated equally Women’s rights clearly defined in Qur’an Qur’an tried to do away with negativism toward women. Gave women basic rights, To own property, receive inheritance, vote (1300 years before western societies permitted it), choose spouse The hijab – the cloth that Islamic women wear on their heads Symbol of humility before God became a symbol of oppression in eyes of West Burka refers to a total body covering In the 1800s the Europeans start taking advantage of the Islamic world, esp with Industrial Revolution Ottomans weakened, starting with Napoleon’s invasion of Egypt. Part 7 of 9: Suez Canal; France colonizes Algeria; WWI; colonialism; Wahabism, Jihad: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IH2lGUr7eJ4&NR=1 Colonial sense of superiority disparaged Muslims France took over northern Africa and the northern part of the Middle East, discouraging Arabic language and Islamic faith. England expanded into Egypt after creating the Suez Canal, also taking the Sinai Peninsula, Palestine, and Iraq. Ottomans sided with Germany in WWI, so England & France took Muslim lands when Germany lost (min 2:40) Muslim Brotherhood arose in Egypt in 1928 Some Muslim states encouraged western style central authoritarian dictatorships; Muslim Brotherhood resisted these. Following WW2 Muslims throughout European colonies rose up, demanding release from the European counties. Mohammad ibn Abdul Wahab – became a leader in the Islamic world, preaching an ascetic, puritanical form of Islam Created Wahabism, founded Saudi State, merging desert warrior spirit with puritanical reform. Very fundamental and radical form of Islam Was supported by Saud family, who would become rulers of Saudi Arabia Oil gave Saudis great wealth allowing them to expand Wahabist beliefs. Giving the money to organizations has caused an even more radical group of beliefs to arise Jihad = â€Å"struggle.† The greater jihad is the struggle of one’s will against one’s passions and weaknesses, an inner struggle. The lesser jihad is a defensive war, using just war criteria. Some groups called for a radical Jihad –war against western nations The end justifying the means leads to terrorism. Osama Bin-Laden in particular Part 8 of 9: Malcolm X; Israel; Iran hostage crisis, Iraq: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cKHuc0ehFPc Malcolm X: â€Å"We (blacks) did not land on Plymouth Rock; the rock was landed on us† Walhid Farad formed the Nation of Islam Elijah Poole joined him; changed name to Elijah Muhammad & took charge in 1934 Malcolm Little heard about Nation of Islam in Prison, changed name to Malcolm X Malcolm X: â€Å"What was your name before you lost it?† Malcolm X came back from hajj inspired to join Nation of Islam to traditional Islam; Gunned down By 1975, Elijah’s son brought about Malcolm X’s dream: changed name to World Community of Islam Louis Farrakhan continued in old ways of separation Israel made a state in 1948. In 6 Day War in 1967 tensions increased with Muslims 1978 Iran’s Shah fell to Shiite Ayatollah Khomeini; US cast as â€Å"Great Satan† Students took US embassy workers in Tehran as hostages for 444 days Sadat in Egypt assassinated; he had signed a peace treaty with Israel. Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait in 1990; coalition lead by US stopped him, imposed no-fly Zone Part 9 of 9: Suicide bombing; Islamic hell & heaven; wrap up: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=egTCPablawQ&NR=1 9/11 made people aware not only of radical fringe of Islam, but also of the peaceful Muslim neighbors. Even in heaven one cannot see God Pleas for peace Few stable & fair Muslim governments have replaced colonial governments Part 1 of 9: Intro and basic facts: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hAjsu1ATrts Part 2 of 9: Pre Muslim Mecca, Quraish tribe, Muhammad’s early years & first vision, Qur’an, 1st pillar shahadah, and start of 2nd pillar prayer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KtFkhC7DIIo Part 3 of 9: 2nd pillar (prayer) continued, Muhammad gains followers, conflict with Meccans, Hijra, to Ummayad dynasty; beginning of 3rd pillar: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5h4bcCSsc9A&NR=1 Part 4 of 9: 3rdpillar, charity, continued; 4th pillar, Ramadan, Abbasid dynasty; Crusades; Mongols: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZKsm3O23Itg&NR=1 Part 5 of 9: Mongol era: 5thPillar, Hajj; in Spain, interfaith cooperation: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KXWJDY8AsFo&feature=related Part 6 of 9: Spain, Ottoman Empire; place of women; Colonialism: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6olUPtXRC6U&NR=1 Part 7 of 9: Suez Canal; France colonizes Algeria; WWI; colonialism; Wahabism, Jihad: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IH2lGUr7eJ4&NR=1 Part 8 of 9: Malcolm X; Israel; Iran hostage crisis, Iraq: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cKHuc0ehFPc Part 9 of 9: Suicide bombing; Islamic hell & heaven; wrap up: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=egTCPablawQ&NR=1

Atomic Bomb

During wartime, horrible atrocities against all of humanity must be dealt with.  Ã‚   Crimes against humanity, as never witnessed before, and hopefully to never be seen again, occurred during the course of World War II.  Ã‚   America has always, and most likely will always place a high value on American lives.  Ã‚   In order to protect these lives and to insure that the world is safe for democracy, American leaders had to make a very tough decision, whether or not to drop the atomic bomb on Japan.  Ã‚   This act would essentially trade Japanese lives for American lives.  Ã‚   The Japanese were responsible for hundreds of thousands of American casualties in the Pacific, including the unprovoked attack on Pearl Harbor.  Ã‚   With Japanese forces showing no signs of surrender, American leaders made a decision.  Ã‚   This decision essentially changed the history of warfare forever.    An atomic bomb is any weapon that gets its destructive power from an atom.   This powe r comes when the matter inside of the atoms is transformed into energy.   The process by which this is done is known as fission.   The only two atoms suitable for fission are the uranium isotope U-235 and the plutonium isotope Pu-239.   Fission occurs when a neutron, a subatomic particle with no electrical charge, strikes the nucleus of one of these isotopes and causes it to split apart.   When the nucleus is split, a large amount of energy is produced, and more free neutrons are also released.   These neutrons strike other atoms, which causes more energy to be released.   If this process is repeated, a self-sustaining chain reaction will occur, and it is this chain reaction that causes the atomic bomb to have its destructive power.    The first type of atomic bomb ever used was a gun-type.   In this type two subcritical pieces of U-235 are placed in a device similar to the barrel of an artillery shell.   One piece is placed at one end of the barrel and will remain there at rest.   The other subcritical mass is placed at the other end of the barrel.   A conventional explosive is packed behind the second subcritical mass.   When the fuse is triggered, a conventional explosion causes the second subcritical mass to be propelled at a high velocity into the first subcritical mass.   The resulting combination causes the two subcritical masses to become a supercritical mass.   When this supercritical mass is obtained, a rapid self-sustained chain reaction is caused.   This type of atomic bomb was used on Hiroshima, and given the nickname â€Å"Little Boy† after Franklin D. Roosevelt.    The second type of atomic bomb is an implosion bomb.   In this type a subcritical mass, which is in the shape of a ball, is placed in the center of the weapon.   This subcritical mass is surrounded in a spherical arrangement of conventional explosives.   When the fuse is triggered all of the conventional explosives explode at the same time.    This causes the subcritical mass to be compressed into a smaller volume, thus creating a supercritical mass to be formed.   After this supercritical mass is obtained, a self-sustained chain reaction takes place and causes the atomic explosion.   This type of atomic bomb was used on Nagasaki, and given the nickname â€Å"Fat Man† after Winston Churchill.    The blast from an atomic bomb’s explosion will last for only one-half to one second, but in this amount of time a great deal of damage is done.   A fireball is created by the blast, which consists mainly of dust and gasses.   The dust produced in this fireball has no substantial effect on humans or their environment.   However, as the gasses expand a blast wave is produced.   As this blast wave moves, it creates static overpressure.   This static overpressure then in turn creates dynamic pressure.   The static overpressure has the power to crush buildings.   The dynamic pressure creates winds , which have the power to blow down trees.   The blast pressure and fireball together only last for approximately eleven seconds, but because it contains fifty percent of the atomic bomb’s latent energy a great deal of destruction occurs.    In Hiroshima, the blast from the atomic bomb was measured to be about four and a half to six and seven tenths tons of pressure per square meter, while in Nagasaki the blast was measured to be about six to eight tons of pressure per square meter.   Because of this dramatic change in the pressure most of the cities were destroyed.   The static overpressure in Hiroshima destroyed between sixty-two and ninety thousand buildings, while in Nagasaki all of the buildings within three thousand feet of the center of the blast were completely destroyed.   The static overpressure created a dynamic pressure that had winds up to four hundred miles per hour.   These winds caused minor scratches, lacerations, or compound fractures, which came about when people and glass fragments were projected through the air.   By combining the results of the static overpressure and the dynamic pressure one can begin to see what damage was caused by the atomic bomb’s blast.    The thermal radiation produced by an atomic bomb explosion will account for thirty-five percent of the atomic bomb’s damage.   Thermal radiation can come in one of three forms: ultraviolet radiation, visible radiation, or infrared radiation.   The ultraviolet radiation is absorbed so rapidly by air particles that it has no substantial effect on people.   However, the visible and infrared radiation creates an enormous amount of heat to be produced, approximately ten million degrees Celsius at the hypocenter.   This heat has two main effects.   The first is known as flash burns.   The flash of thermal radiation produces these flash burns right after the explosion.   Flash burns can be either first-degree burns (bad sun burns), secon d-degree burns (blisters, infections, and scars), or third-degree burns (destroyed skin tissue).   The second type is known as flame burns.   These are burns that come from one of two different types of fires, which are created when flammable materials are ignited by the thermal radiation.   The first type is called firestorms.   A firestorm is violent, has raging winds, and has extremely high temperatures; but fortunately it does not spread very rapidly.   The second type is called a conflagration.   A conflagration is when the fire spreads in a front.   The thermal radiation produced by the atomic bomb’s explosion will account for most of the deaths or injuries.    In Hiroshima and Nagasaki the thermal radiation accounted for approximately twenty to thirty percent of the deaths or injuries from the atomic bomb’s explosion.   Those that were at a distance of two and one half miles from the hypocenter received first degree burns.   Those that were a t a distance of two and one quarter miles from the hypocenter received second degree burns.   Those that were at a distance of one half of a mile from the hypocenter received third degree burns.   Ninety-five percent of the burns created from the thermal radiation were by flash burns, and only five percent of the burns were by flame burns.   The reason for this low number of flame burns is that only two to ten percent of the buildings caught on fire.   By combining the damage from both the flash and flame burns one can begin to see the effects that an atomic bomb’s thermal radiation had.   Approximately sixty thousand in Hiroshima, and approximately forty-one thousand people were either killed or injured from the thermal radiation.    The final effect that an atomic bomb caused is the nuclear radiation produced from the fission process.   The nuclear radiation comes in the form of either Gamma rays or Beta particles.   Gamma rays are electromagnetic radiation originating in the atomic nuclei, physically identical to x-rays.   They can enter into living tissue extremely easily.   Beta particles are negatively charged particles, identical to an electron moving at a high velocity.   These forms of nuclear radiation are measured in rads (radiation-absorbed-dose), which is defined as the absorption of five ten millionths joule per gram of absorbing material.   During the initial nuclear radiation mostly Gamma rays are emitted from the fireball.   This period of initial nuclear radiation lasts for approximately one minute.   During the residual nuclear period (fallout) the Beta particles and more of the Gamma rays are emitted.   The residual radiation has two stages: early fallout and delayed fallout.   In early fallout, the heavy and highly radioactive particles fall back to the earth, usually within the first twenty-four hours.   In delayed fallout, the tiny and often invisible particles fall back to the earth, and usually last from a couple of days to several years.   The nuclear radiation from the atomic bomb’s explosion was not the main cause of death, but it did still have serious results.    In Hiroshima, the initial nuclear radiation was spread over a distance of approximately fifty-three hundredths of a kilometer.   In Nagasaki, the initial nuclear radiation only spread one and six thousandths of a kilometer.   The reason why the nuclear radiation was not the main caused of deaths or injuries was that the atomic bomb was detonated so high in the atmosphere; approximately five hundred and seventy meters in Hiroshima, and approximately five hundred and ten meters in Nagasaki.   Even without causing many deaths the nuclear radiation probably caused the most serious effects.   Those with definite proof were those of increased rates of cataracts, leukemia, cancer of the thyroid, cancer of the breast, cancer of the lungs, cancer of the stomach, and mental retardation of babies.   Those that had substantial but not definite proof were those of tumors of the esophagus, tumors of the colon, tumors of the salivary glands, and tumors of the urinary tract organs.   Those that had no definite or substantial proof were those of increased rates of birth mortality, birth defects, infertility, and susceptibility towards illnesses. Plagiarism Detection > Plagiarism Detection >The blast, the thermal radiation, or the nuclear radiation from an atomic bomb explosion will have severe effects on both humans and on the environment in which they live in.   The only two cities that have ever experienced having an atomic bomb being exploded on them were the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki during World War II.   In Hiroshima, the casualties have been estimated between seventy-five and eighty thousand. In Nagasaki, the total number killed was estimated at more that thirty-five thousand.   The total number severely injured was even greater than forty thousand.In the 50 years since the first atomic explosion, the promises and perils of nuclear science have touched nearly every aspect of our culture and politics.   The scientific development surrounding the A-bomb has been a pivotal point in the worlds history, launching us into the Atomic Age.   We came close to nuclear inhalation during the cold war, but its benefits have been much greater.   We have turned nuclear power into a reliable source of energy, and it has provided us with many technological advances.   In the future we can look forward to using the technology discovered during the Manhattan Project to create even better sources of energy.   We are only at the beginning of the Atomic Age, and there are endless possibilities for the future.

The Importance of Companys Management Assignment

The Importance of Companys Management - Assignment Example The company took a different direction after Zhang Ruimin took over as the CEO. The company is now regarded as one of the fast developing and aspiring Chinese brands in the International Market. Before Zhang came to the rescue of the company, the Haier Group had a group of undisciplined and low-skilled employees and suffered from low productivity and reduced product quality. Zhang faced difficult times while trying to rescue the company from management mayhem and financial turmoil (Lau & Han 1-2). In order to liberate the company, Zhang instituted an organizational philosophy and rules and overhauled the business strategy to establish an incentive-oriented management control system. As the company continued to grow, Zhang was proud of its growth. However, one of the hurdles facing the company was how to fine-tune its processes and structure to face transformations in the current competitive global market. In order for the company to sustain growth in the future, it needs to consider how it will motivate its workers in the future to attain high performance goals, and how it will revolutionize the management control system to adjust to the organization’s internationalization stratagems. ... However, as the organization’s operations grew, it shifted from a process to people oriented approach. This led to the implementation of OEC management system, which aroused the employee’s sense of responsibility (Lau & Han 4). This management system grouped people into small groups with different standards and targets. This required every group to ensure that it attained the targets. This made the groups repeat the processes in order to find means of improving their process the same day (Lau & Han 5). The fact that the employees were required to come up with ways on how to improve their process within the same day would have acted as a less motivating factor. Notably, most of the processes in an organization require a considerable number of hours if the process fails or does not meet the target result then the employees will have to redo the process and will spend more time and will have overworked within that day. It is imperative to note that overworking of employees is one of the factors that contribute to low levels of motivation among employees. This may make the workers feel overburdened with huge work that can make them stressed and less motivated. Therefore, it is significant to recommend an OEC management system with a longer timeline such as two days or a week, or a management system that gives few processes to be accomplished within a given time. For instance, an OEC management system that gives three tasks that can be accomplished within five days. The reward system adopted by Haier is based on the performance of each product division recorded by the product manager (Lau & Han 7). Though this seems to be an

Mandatory Arrest for Domestic Violence Research Paper

Mandatory Arrest for Domestic Violence - Research Paper Example 644). Hoctor (p. 644) discusses that by the time officers respond to domestic violence calls, they often end up being mediators in the dispute. Such mediation can take on various approaches, including reconciliation attempts by officers for the parties involved or the use of formal resolution programs. Mediating the domestic violence did not assist in resolving these issues; moreover, these incidents have often escalated to more incidents of violence and even deaths. Moreover, these incidents often disturbed the neighborhood peace and violent outbreaks often ended up involving other parties (like neighbors or bystanders attempting to break up the fight). Because of the escalation of these incidents, as well as the public disturbance that these incidents often caused, some territories have implemented mandatory arrests for incidents of domestic violence. ... It shall discuss research evidence in its application; and it shall also present a critical discussion of the merits and the demerits of the program. The suggested policy is based on the guidelines set forth by the Wisconsin Coalition against Domestic Violence. In any case, the suspect must be atleast 17 years of age having a relationship with the victim described as: spouse, former spouse, adult with whom a child was created, and adult with whom the suspect resides or has formerly resided with. The following acts are all grounds for mandatory arrest: intentional infliction of physical pain, physical injury or illness; intentional impairment of physical condition; sexual assault, physical act that may cause a person to fear imminent engagement of the above acts (Wisconsin Coalition Against Domestic Violence, p. 1). The arresting officer may also find reasonable grounds to believe that the person committing the act is or has committed domestic abuse; that the person’s actions c onstitute a crime; the officer believes that continued domestic abuse is likely; there is evidence of physical injury on the victim; and the suspect is the main aggressor (Wisconsin Coalition against Domestic Violence, p. 2). This mandatory arrest policy can also apply if the violence is reported to the law enforcement authorities within 28 days from the time the abuse occurred. In this policy, the law enforcement officer must arrest the suspect if he has reasonable grounds to believe that the suspect is committing or has already committed domestic abuse and his actions are considered crimes (Wisconsin Coalition against Domestic Violence, p. 2). The predominant aggressor in this case is the first and the most

Teams at Kluster Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Teams at Kluster - Case Study Example Individual team members must develop long-term working relationships with other individuals within the group and form solid operational procedures in order to perform their tasks efficiently. Additionally, the company will provide all material external support in order for the team to accomplish their short and long term objectives effectively. In the case of Klusters â€Å"Illuminator Team† its basic format is of a team that runs things. It is also a type of virtual team since the many team members are all from different geographical locations and often meet using web based groupware instead of face to face. There are advantages and disadvantages to a team based work environment. Some advantages of a team based approach to problem solving is that unlike traditionally structured organizations all team members participate in the decision making process instead of top management making all the decisions. As a direct result all employees are empowered to participate creating a work environment that is more efficient and effective at dealing with complex organizational problems while giving a competitive edge over the competition. Some disadvantages of a team based approach is that in many teams individual achievement is not as easily determined as in a traditional hierarchical organization which is a factor in determining compensation. Team based companys tend to focus on team achievements rather than individual performance. The lack of centralized decision making of a team based organization can lead to some disorganization and as well as control and coordination issues for management (Sch ermerhorn & Hunt & Osborn). The Illuminator team has addressed some of these challenges by placing team member reward mechanisms in order to recognize top performing individuals and their contribution to the team effort. Their system is designed to provide them with financial as well as member

Health Care Provider and health Diversity Essay

Health Care Provider and health Diversity - Essay Example On the contrary, Buddhism has a different world view since the faith has a straightforward looking at the human condition where nothing is ever based on wishful thinking (Murti, 2013). The origin of the Buddhism religion was based on the observation of how things are in the world and everything that the faith teaches is based on these observations, including the concept of healing. Therefore, it is imperative to discuss how the two faiths, Christianity, and Buddhism, perceive the concept of healing and how their worldviews may affect the process of providing healthcare. One of the vital questions to address when tackling issues to do with religion is the concept of spirituality. Christianity has a strong attachment to spirituality and, in this case, it refers to the extent to which human beings are connected to God as the supernatural being (Shelly & Miller, 2006). Thus, Christians hold their world view from the story of creation and fall where God, in spiritual presence, created everything and everything that happens is according to his will. Therefore, for a Christian seeking medical attention, he or she believes that the medics and healthcare providers are serving the purpose of God by preserving the life that God gives for free. In this case, the Christians believe that God uses the healthcare givers to protect the lives of human beings. On the other hand, the Christians believe that spirituality is living up to God’s expectations by following the footsteps of Jesus Christ (Woodhead, 2012). When handling a patient from Christian faith, therefore, the healthcare provider must understand that the religion has strong attachment to spirituality and doing things according to God’s will and that anything contrary to the Christian morals may invite God’s wrath as evident from the story of ‘the fall’ during the beginning of creation (Shelly & Miller, 2006). Thus, for

Macroeconomic Environment of Business Case Study - 2

Macroeconomic Environment of Business - Case Study Example It has led to domestic imbalances in the middle-income countries and the open economies ending up into large current account deficits and housing bubbles. Unemployment rates in the OECD countries rose rapidly from 5.7% in 2007 to 8.6% in 2009. This was a rise of 10.1 million individuals without employment in the OECD countries. Unemployment in the US was most massive with similar labour market consequences in Spain, Denmark, Turkey and Slovakia. Some of the worst-hit nations were Estonia, Lithuania, Ireland, and Latvia which witnessed dramatic output and labour market contraction (Verick & Islam, 2010, p.20-24). The most common methods of fiscal policies which could be used responding from the global crisis were a combination of government spending along with tax cuts in order to provide a boost to the slogging economies. According to the Keynesian theory, deficit spending could be used by the governments to replace an extent of the demand which was lost due to the recession and prevent further wastage of economies resources due to lack of demand. Governments could have responded by increasing bailouts and injecting money into the financial system in order to allow credit flowing in the economy; cutting down rates of interests in order to encourage investments and borrowing; and finally to allow excess fiscal sending to increase aggregate demand (Verick & Islam, 2010, p.36). This response could be effective in controlling further impacts of the crisis and further economic deterioration and keep workmen in their jobs and help in the creation of new job opportunities for those unemployed. Alth ough this response was likely to control further downturn the effectiveness could vary across economies (The Economic Times, 2008). One of the limitations in using fiscal measures during the recessions is the fact that ideally government finances must increase during periods of growth and reduce when the economy contracts or slows down.     

Principles of Law Enforcement Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Principles of Law Enforcement - Essay Example strength of the police culture is based upon a mission and anything that is done in pursuing that mission is serving the greater good of the community (Reiner as quoted in Hall, 2002, p.1). One of the reasons why this situation exists is because police officers are in such a difficult and sometimes hostile environment. In order for them to work well, it helps when they have the assurance that other officers will have their back if something happens. Since the world of police work is unpredictable, it helps police have peace of mind when they know that the other officers will help them in external and internal investigations by keeping silent. According to Hall (2002) there are eight reasons why the Code of Silence exists. Here are a few:: With this information in mind it is easy to see why this Code of Silence is an integral part of law enforcement. The interesting issue about this is that each officer decides how much of this they will do and it is usually based on their own moral code of ethics. In research done by The National Institute of Ethics in 2000, it was found that 52% of officers were not bothered by the Code of Silence (as quoted in Hall, p. 3). In other words, they were fine with it. Hall also suggests that the root of this comes from the fact that we were told as children not to tell on our siblings and the fact that we were punished if we did. Walker (2001), in his book on police accountability says that the reason this Code of Silence exists is because "officers learned that there was no risk of punishment for backing up fellow officers responses no matter how credible the tale." (Walker, p. 109). Another issue that comes up for officers is that some have compassion for people who have experienced brutal crimes. Because of this, they may begin to think that since the public wants to get rid of an individual like this, whatever they do to get rid of the individual will be seen as the right thing to do. They ignore due process for the perpetrator

Original topic in Advanced MAcroeconomics Essay

Original topic in Advanced MAcroeconomics - Essay Example The balance of payments is usually in deficit. (Adams, 2002, pp. 53-55) A country’s fiscal policy is the mix of government expenditure and revenue collection mechanism in an economy. Historically, governments collect revenues from taxes and their expenditures include public sector expenditures. (Auerbach, 1997, p. 88) A country’s monetary policy is a combination of activities by the state bank or central bank, the government and other financial institutions to control the demand and supply of money and interest rates in an economy. In a nutshell, the effect of each is dependent on the other and that is what the monetary policy aims to control. (Walsh, 2003, pp. 9-12) This case focuses on primarily on monetary policy. To gain a better understanding of how a monetary policy works, we first need to understand its two components i.e. money supply and interest rates. Money supply is generally divided into M1 and M2. Further classifications may also exist. The divisions are based on liquidity of the funds. M1 funds are the most liquid funds and include cash, very short term securities or securities equivalent to cash. M2 funds include those funds which are slightly less liquid than cash like current account deposits. As the liquidity decreases, the number after M increases. In my opinion interest rate is basically the cost of money. It is also the cost of borrowing or the return on investment. Interest rates have two components. The discount rate which is set by the central bank and is the rate at which the central bank lends to commercial banks. The other component is the market interest rate. I believe it differs because of bank’s spreads and their portfolio of customers. In my opinion, the developed nations have always moved towards a relaxed monetary policy as they promote free trade and trade liberalization. In addition the existing well defined systems in these economies allowed for and

President Kennedy as the person who saved the west from nuclear war Essay Example for Free

President Kennedy as the person who saved the west from nuclear war Essay Section 1 The Cold war, which existed between the Soviet Union and the United States following World War ll, and the constant threat of nuclear devastation, which it presented, evolved throughout its history. The relationship between these two super powers was strained at the best, at its worst; it was hostile and came near the unleashing of the devastating nuclear arsenal both countries possessed. The term cold war was used first by an American banker relating to the tension between the U. S.S.R and the USA, when he said cold he was referring to the fact that both countries were doing there best to stop direct fighting and for it to become a hot war. The reason these two super powers fought were over their ideologies on how to live in each others country where as America was run by Capitalism, this was the system that gave common civilians the right to vote for which ever government party they wanted to run the country it also gave the press freedom of speech where government scandals were hardly censored, unlike The Soviets who ran a one party state consisting of only the Communist party called Soviets, but because most of the soviets were Communist the government was really run by the one party. Also there was mass government run industries like the media as this was run by them, the news was censored strictly throughout covering up any government scandal. The other major difference was the distribution of wealth and the line between the rich and the poor as this was very low in Russia however in the U.S average living standards where much higher as wealth was dispersed more unevenly throughout business Tycoons and their estate s. All these factors lead to nuclear war and the cold war between Russia and America, America was the first to release a nuclear attack and used, the first nuclear atomic bomb on the Japanese city of Hiroshima, on 6th August 1945 showing the world what lengths America would go to, to win a war. Source 1a A concluding sentence The relationship also evolved over time, and the emergence of Fidel Castro in Cuba was a catalyst for a change in the relationship between these powers. The threat he and his Communist party presented to his American neighbours would change the way the Americans dealt with their Cold War enemies. In the same way, Castros Communists also gave Nikita Khrushchev and the Soviets an entrance into North and Central American affairs. Section two Prior to the revolution in Cuba, during Batistas brutal regime there was a period of time describes as an easing of tensions in relationships between the East and the West. These tensions were eased because many of the potential conflicts between Eastern and western sides had been resolved, such as the 1956 Hungarian Revolution. During Batistas regime as dictator over Cuba the Americans had been its main customer of Cubas main resource, Sugar cane, this made relationships between Cuba an America quite friendly and Cuba was full of American influence with Gentlemens Clubs, Brothels and Casinos it was nick named the rich Americans playground, also on the island were strong Mafia connections, yet the police did little to stop them as they could easily be bribed and were often dealing themselves. The easing of tensions and the apparent lack of interest from either of the two cold war powers in aggression against one another would be brought to an end following Castro taking over Cuba in early 1959, but at this time the relationship between Fidel Castro and the Cuban Communist was not entirely clear. During the Cuban revolution that saw Fulgencio Batistas brutal regime overthrown and come to an end, Castro had been at the fore of the uprising. He sold all the American owned businesss the mere presence of a Communist island within 100 miles of the United States drew much attention to Cuba, both to the Soviet Union and their American rivals. The real cold war evolution did not have its beginnings in the working relationship, which was to be established between Havana and Moscow, but rather in the deteriorating relationship between the Cuban capital and Washington. American business interests in Cuba were being threatened by Castros policy of nationalisation of lands, and the U.S. was begging to feel that they could not do business with Castros government this feeling was the reason for the beginnings of an action against the Castro Regime approved by President Eisenhower, and late adopted by John Fitzgerald Kennedy when he was elected to office in November 1960. This program consisted of political action, propaganda and military operations and was behind the infamous Bay of Pigs invasion, although this program was directed against Cuba it may also have sent another message to the soviet Communists that the Americans were not prepared to tolerate communism so near their own borders. In any case, Source 2b Concluding sentence This policy, a direct reaction to Fidel Castro himself and the communist regime, which he had brought to power, could not have any positive effect on relations between the Capitalist Americans and the communists. The real advantage of Cuba to the Soviets was in the form of gaining leverage in negotiations over Berlin, which was of far more importance to the communist than the small, poor island ruled by Castro. Tensions over Berlin came about after Khrushchev demanded the western powers, which occupied Berlin, evacuate the city. Khrushchev, alarmed at the growing military and economic strength of West Germany otherwise, the soviets would turn the administration of Berlin to the East German government, with which the west had no agreements and under the rule of which the western powers would have no access whatsoever to Berlin. By removing the western influences from the area, Khrushchev hoped to Weaken ties between the United States and West Germany and provoke disunity among NATO allies The NATO powers however did not back down, however there came to be a dà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½tente over the question of administration of Berlin. This still existed in 1962, and Fidel Castro would prove to be a willing pawn in a move by Khrushchev to gain the upper hand in the negotiations over the administration of Berlin. Prior to the events of 1962, which made up the Cuban missile crisis came the infamous Bay of Pigs invasion, this great American failure showed to which lengths the Americans were prepared to go to remove the influence of Castro and communism from the island of Cuba. On 16th April 1961, 1,300 CIA- trained Cuban exiles in American-surplus planes and boats left to invade Cuba and liberate their countrymen this so called liberation was unsuccessful the Cuban people had been prepared for such an invasion and in fact the Cuban Military forces and Castro himself also knew of the plans of the invasion. One hundred and fifty invaders were killed, the rest taken prisoner and the American attempt to overthrow Castro and his regime had failed. There were several crucial outcomes to this invasion however, all affecting the relationship between the eastern and western powers. The soviets, due to the ability of the island nation to withstand the invasion, became convinced of the value of Cuba in gaining the upper hand over the U.S. enough so that the Castros regime would now be worthy of a major military and diploma. But while the Soviet Union now considered Cuba a worthy ally, it became evident to Castro that he also needed to pursue a relationship with the Soviet Union for protection because his island was very much within the U.S. sphere of influence. The invasion, while unsuccessful, showed that the Americans were willing to go to great lengths to remove him from office, and at this point, the best solution for Castro appeared to be the pursuit of an alliance with Moscow, directed against his American neighbours. The strengthening of ties between Cuba and the Soviet Union, as a result of this Bay of Pigs invasion, led directly to the Cuban Missile Crisis. As much as that conflict resulted from Khrushchevs design to take advantage of Cubas proximity to the U.S. to install missile sites, it was the American policy towards Cuba, that which sought, by any means necessary, to remove Fidel Castros influence over Cuba, which pushed the new Communist allies into each others arms. The mere presence of Fidel Castro was responsible for the heightening of tensions between the Soviet Union and John F. Kennedys United States leading up to the crisis. There was a strong Soviet presence in Cuba prior to the Cuban Missile Crisis. The sanctions, which followed Castros rise to power placed a large burden on the Cuban economy, as the U.S., naturally, had been the islands primary trading partner. This burden was eased by the Soviets who, in 1960, agreed to buy out Cubas U.S. sugar share, and later made the promise to provide necessary aid in the case of armed intervention. In fact, United States sanctions against Fidel Castro and his government provided the rationale and the catalytic action which accelerate close economic, military and political relations between Cuba and the USSR. But the gravity of the Soviets economic pursuits in Cuba is far less than the deal made which allowed the Soviets to build missile sites on the island. Due to the deadlock over the Berlin question, Khrushchev felt he needed to gain the upper hand in military might to have his way. Because the USSR was falling behind in the arms race, a creative solution was needed which would achieve equality and the cheapest and fastest way was to install shorter-range missiles on Cuba. The role of Castro in this affair was to accept the missiles from the USSR, but for his own set of reasons. Castro felt that some protection was needed from the threat of any more American invasions, and the addition of missile sites to his island would strengthen his position considerably. The military installations instilled confidence and would be a tremendous asset given any aggression by the Americans or their Western allies. In any case, both nations had interests in the missiles being installed in Cuba, so Castro gave the plan his blessing. By this time, it had become clear to the Soviets that their high expectations of Castro were warranted, as this revolutionary leader had given them the opportunity they thought they needed to tip the scale in their favour where there real interests lay, Berlin. For someone who had so critical a role in bringing about the Cuban Missile Crisis, Fidel Castro played only the smallest role once it began. When an American U-2 first spotted evidence of the construction of a missile site in Cuba on 14 October 1962, the crisis began. While negotiations to end the crisis were underway between Kennedy and Khrushchev, Castro was left out and did not take the exclusion lightly Castro even went so far as to make a speech, on 23 October 1962, denying that either the Cubans or the Soviets would ever consider withdrawing their missiles While the Soviets and the Americans were negotiating a peace, while still on the brink of launching an all-out nuclear attack, Castro was still trying to extract some political gain from the conflict. He imposed a set of conditions on the removal of missiles from his island, which called for the end of the U.S. blockade of the island, which had resulted when the crisis began, and for the end of subversive acts on the part of the U.S. against Cuba. All of these were ignored when a final agreement was hammered out between the U.S. and the USSR. Castros stubborn refusal to admit that he had been the real loser in the entire crisis was brought into focus when he refused entrance into Cuba to UN observers who were to assure that the missiles were dismantled, as had been agreed upon by Kennedy and Khrushchev. Castros reaction to his personal failure in the affair would signal the lesson he learned, as he made it known that never again in the chess game of power would his country play the docile pawn While Castro was involved in conflicts in Africa in the 1960s, and supported the communism of Vietnam, his involvement in the Cuban Missile Crisis left the greatest of marks upon relations between the Cold War powers. What Castro may not have realized in all his bitterness over the results of the crisis is that, unwittingly, he had the effect of easing tensions between the U.S. and the USSR. His mere presence and his part in bringing about the crisis were instrumental in beginning a new era in the relationship between East and West. Prior to this point, any move by one side was met by an equally strong move by the other. Under such a system, no peaceful end could be sought to any conflict, only the escalating of tensions to a breaking point. The breaking point in the Cold War was the most undesirable, nuclear conflict, the implications of which were most destructive and grave. Indeed, during the Cuban Missile Crisis, while Castro was dreaming of power and prestige for his native Cuba, the Americans were reportedly minutes away for launching their nuclear arsenal against Russia, and likely the Soviets were in a similar position. But the diplomatic resolution to the problem, in spite of Castros designs, represented a turning point in the way problems were dealt with between the United States and their nuclear rivals. In a game of such high stakes, no longer could move be met with countermove because in such a case both would be losers. The value of diplomacy was realized and, in a way, Fidel Castro and his regime were facilitators for this lesson. After the crisis, relations once again eased into detente between the U.S. and the USSR and Castro, standing by his assertion that he would no longer be the pawn for any other, no longer wielded much influence in Cold War politics. And the relations between the two powers eased, that existing between Castros Cuba and the USSR grew more strained. These were restored somewhat later, but no longer were they of particular military or international significance. Cuba has continued to be a source of frustration to the United States, but this mainly from an ideological or philosophical point of view. While Cuba gradually began to pursue a pro-Moscow course their alliance with Moscow no longer posed any real threat to America in the way of future military aggression. Through the Cold War, the Americans had developed a great hostility towards anything perceived as being communist, Marxist, or socialist and Cuba has retained this aspect, but to have had any great fear of Castro and what he mig ht do after the resolution of the missile crisis would not have been warranted. Castros role in the relationship between East and West, therefore, was played out over a short period of a few years, but on the largest of stages. His initial contribution to the evolution of this relationship was to cause it a large degree of strain. When the revolution of Castro became successful, he infuriated the Americans whose businesses and lands were being revoked by Castros policy of nationalization. The U.S. would accept this treatment at the hands of so insignificant a neighbour and launched the Bay of Pigs invasion. The reaction of the Cubans to this was the strengthening of ties with the USSR and inevitably the tensions between the USSR and the U.S. were raised as well. The USSR had one foot in the door, intolerably close to the American border and when the Soviets but this played this strategic card but installing the missile sites, the tensions were raised further. Castros role in the evolution of East/West relations ended soon after this point as both the Americans and Russians began to ignore him and pursue their own solutions to the conflict Castro brought about. Because of this exclusion, Castro no longer wielded any influence and faded into the background. Nevertheless, the Americans had been humiliated by seeing an island nation, which they had once dominated fall under the influence of the Russian communists, and this was Castros own accomplishment. It brought the prominence and importance to his country, which he desired and did fulfil some of the more immediate goals such as removing the economic stresses placed on his country by the U.S. sanctions. While the new tensions he brought about between the Soviet Union and the U.S. were alleviated following the crisis, Castro undeniably brought the world one step closer to witnessing nuclear war. It could therefore be said of Castro that his role and influence in Cold War politics was twofold. Firstly, it was largely his doing that the two powers came closer to clashing than they had ever come before, and it was largely in spite of him that this clash never took place. Instead, what followed was a detente, which, while still filled with suspicion and mistrust of one another, never again came so close to a boiling point as during the early days of Castros regime in Cuba.

The history of forest schools Essay Example for Free

The history of forest schools Essay ‘Forest School in the UK may seem a fairly new movement. In reality it is based on a rich heritage of outdoor learning going back at least to the 19th century. Philosophers, naturalists and educators in Europe and the UK such as Wordsworth, Ruskin, Baden Powell, Leslie Paul (who founded the Woodcraft Folk in 1925), Kurt Hahn (who founded Gordon stone and was the inspiration for our first outdoor education centers), Susan Isaacs and the Macmillan sisters all laid the foundations for what is known as Forest School today. During the 1970s and 80s our education system moved toward a more teacher/outcome-centered approach in an attempt to improve numeracy and literacy, in particular, and we had the introduction of the national curriculum. Somewhat in response to this, there was a growth of ‘alternative’ educational models in the 1990s and it is in this context that Forest School emerged. ’ A brief history of the development from the Forest School Association. The Forest School model originates in Scandinavia and involves participants journeying by foot (if possible) to a local woodland environment to learn outdoors on a regular sustained basis. In 1993 a group of childcare students visiting Denmark witnessed the benefits of Forest School for themselves and brought the idea back to Bridgewater College. On returning they devised way to apply forest schools to their childcare center. Since then the idea has grown and Forest Schools are spreading throughout Britain. Margret McMillan was a socialist Christian. She was very interested in education and she fought for reforms to improve the health of young children, wrote several books on nursery education and pioneered a play-centered approach. She was very interested in how children could learn outside and how it benefitted them. It wasn’t until after her life that her thoughts and theories were put into practice, a college was opened in her sister’s name in 1930 and in 1936 the first purpose-built outdoor center was created in memory of Margaret McMillan. Friedrich Frobel was also a pioneer of outdoor learning. Introducing and sustaining the original idea according to which nature and the natural environment had a definite and positive role in the education of children. Frobel coined the word kinder garten, which means children’s garden. Other significant contributors to the outdoor learning movement were Natalie Davis and Susan Isaacs. Davis set up Chelsea open-air nursery in 1927, she handed it over to Isaacs, who wanted to give invigorating and healthy experiences to the children. Isaacs was a keen researcher of principals and new research appearing about how children should learn. â€Å"Today Chelsea Open Air Nursery School and Children’s Centre survives as a fitting and faithful legacy of Susan Isaacs pioneering work. Educationalists from around the world visit the school and are inspired by its wonderful setting, ethos and professional expertise. ’ Forests schools officially began in the Uk in 1993 after a group of students visited Denmark and saw forest schools in action. This was only 20 years ago and today there are at least 25 forest school companies listed, and I dare say that not all forest school practitioners are on the association site. There is also places like Ruskin Mill, who specialise in bush craft and farming activities for young adults, and HillHolt farm in Lincolnshire, which started as an alternative for expelled children, it is now a fully fledged educational centre using many forest school activities, and teaching other outdoor skills for life, with very successful results. Many school and nursery teachers have become forest school leaders and run sessions in their schools. No exact figure is available but I would definitely say forest schools are now becoming mainstream and it’s common place for people to be aware of what forest school is. Locally, in Lincolnshire there are 4 forest schools, and in the South Yorkshire there are another 4 registered forest schools. In Scotland (the coldest part of the UK) they’re a fully outdoor nursery/kindergarten. This embraces forest schools in an extreme way, everyday is a forest school for the children who attend â€Å"Kirsty Licence, 40, a doctor and Alastairs mother, believes the nursery will be an antidote to Britains increasingly sedentary, over-protective culture. Childhood obesity is a big problem, and one of the things is that children spend too long inside. The forest education initiative was set up to basically make people more aware of how important our forests are to us and for people to understand the link between everyday product and our trees. â€Å"Our aim is to help young people understand the sustainable role that trees and timber have in our lives. † The aims of the initiative are achieved through the work of forest schools, conservationists and groundwork, amongst others. The initiative has supported forest schools because of the work they do which takes more and more children into our forests. Forest school can register to be recognised with the Forest Education Initiative. To have financial backing and an official body to be recognised will no doubt have had a positive effect on the uptake and growth of forests schools nationally. The forest school association exists like many other associations to provide a central point for good practice, storing and sharing information for practitioners. Also to communicate a strong clear message of what Forest School is. They also work with other organisations with similar goals, not as competitors but as a team hoping to enlighten people about the importance of our forests. They are also the governing body for forest school qualifications, making the whole operation absolutely professional. Personally I think as time goes on that forest schools will become even more popular. As more people experience a child in the outdoors they will realise how much they flourish and learn in a natural environment. Unfortunately, though it may be a while before the government realises this, we may go to china and back first!

Zimbabwe Country Debt and Economic Performance

Zimbabwe Country Debt and Economic Performance Overview The debate on the effect and direction of causality regarding debt on economic growth has attracted significant academic interest since the last quarter of the 20th century. This question has become more relevant in the context of the so-called Least Developed Countries (LDCs) whose economies typically contain oversized debt, exhibit stunted growth and have often defaulted on outstanding debt. This research sought to build on the existing body of literature and conditions in Zimbabwe over the past 20 years, with special reference on the period 1995 to 2008, and draw inferences on the role that debt played in Zimbabwes economic performance over the same period. This chapter sets the stage for the study through reviewing the background to the research study, outlining the problem statement, discussing research objectives and methods among other things. The framework introduced and described herein shall be expanded on application in the later stages of the research project and any necessary adjustments will be incorporated. The chapter, by outlining in advance the research expectations, forms the basis upon which the outcome and conclusions of the research shall be assessed. Background of Zimbabwes Debt Zimbabwe just like any other Less Developed Economies (LIC) has relied on both external and domestic finance to fund its developmental projects. External debt comprise foreign currency denominated liabilities owed to non-resident entities, in the form of both medium to long-term loans and short-term trade facilities, while domestic debt is debt owed to residents and is contracted mainly through issuing treasury bills and bonds as well as utilization of the overdraft window at the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ). The country has not been able to pay its external and domestic obligations for sometime against the background of progressive decline in export performance and the depletion of the foreign currency reserves. The meagre foreign currency resources available have been allocated towards critical social needs such as education and health delivery systems. Consequently, the countrys ability to settle obligations has been severely undermined culminating in accumulation of external payment arrears to US$4 487 million as at 31 December 2009. This represents a more than 60% increase over the 2000 figure of $2.75 billion. This coincides with a period when the economy had entered into a sustained phase of economic decline and hyperinflation. It is argued that debt overhang has been a stumbling block towards economic recovery initiatives of the country and has impacted negatively on the countrys international credit rating, a development which has been a major deterrent to potential foreign investment and credit inflows. The total debt has been growing from 1990 as shown in the graph hereunder: Fig. 1 Debt and GDP Trend for Zimbabwe Source: Data complied from Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe and The Ministry of Finance in Zimbabwe Zimbabwe has not been able to pay its debt obligations for nearly a decade from 1999 against the background of progressive decline in export performance and depletion of foreign currency reserves, due to restrictive measures imposed on the country. The total debt increased from $2.9 billion in 1990 to $6.9 billion in 2010 and the debt burden is a stumbling block towards economic recovery of the country and has impacted negatively on the countrys international credit rating, a development which has been a major deterrent to potential foreign investment and credit inflows. Against this backdrop, it is imperative that the country develop sustainable strategies to deal with the debt overhang problem. As at October 2010, the external debt stock was 118.4% of GDP, which is above international debt sustainability benchmark of 60%. Zimbabwe is in the process of drafting a cocktail of measures to expunge the debt obligations. A number of options which can be implemented to deal with the debt burden are, (a) Equity Anchored Debt Resolution which involves external new borrowing by the country to retire the totality or part of external debt, using identified public assets as collateral, (b) Brady plan where Zimbabwe can engage other nations who can guarantee its securitized debt, (c) Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) Backed Debt Clearance Strategy which is a strategy designed to clear Zimbabwes debt and debt arrears without direct and immediate payment by Government of Zimbabwe, (d) Debt re-scheduling, and (e) Heavily Indebted Poor country (HIPC) Initiative which is a debt reduction strategy for heavily indebted poor countries pursuing IMF, and World Bank supported adjustment and reform programs. The debate on the debt resolution issues in Zimbabwe has been taking place in the absence of a proper analytical background or framework that captures the real dynamics behind the debt issue. This research contributes to this critical discourse in Zimbabwe through providing that analytical and objective framework. Problem Statement Growing public debt is a worldwide phenomenon and it has become a common feature of the fiscal sectors of most of economies. Poor debt management and a permanent growth of the debt to Gross Domestic Product ratio may result in negative macroeconomic performance, like crowding out of investment, financial system instability, inflationary pressures, exchange rate fluctuations and more importantly adverse effects on economic growth. In fact the theoretical literature has summarized the following channels through which external and domestic debts affects growth negatively namely; debt overhang, liquidity constraint, fiscal effect, productivity suppression and reduction in human capital accumulation. There are also certain social and political implications of unsustainable debt burden. Persistent and high public debt calls for a large piece of budgetary resources for debt servicing. Consequently, the government is forced to cut allocations for other public services and it faces serious di fficulties in executing its electoral manifesto, if it has. While the negative effects of public debt are well documented, there is no consensus on the optimum impact and the direction of causality. Countries with better economic performance may also better deal with the public debt phenomenon. In fact higher economic growth in turn increases a countrys creditworthiness and this may attract more capital inflows. If the capital inflow is long term or Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), and the debt is applied towards enhancing the countrys productive capacity and capital accumulation, the impact of debt on economic growth will be positive. There have been several attempts to empirically assess the public debt-economic growth link, in the context of other antecedent variables mainly by using Ordinary Least Squares (OLS). Most of the earlier empirical studies include a fairly standard set of domestic debt, policy and other exogenous explanatory variables and the majority found one or more debt variables to be significantly and negatively correlated with investment or growth (Krugman, 1988; Borensztein, 1990; Greene and Villanueva, 1991; Deshpande, 1997 and more recently Pattillo, Poisson, and Ricci, 2004). Among developing countries evidences supporting the debt overhang hypothesis features research from Iyoha (1996), Fosu (1999), Mbanga and Sikod (2001), Maureen (2001) and Clements, Bhattacharya, and Nguyen (2003). The rationale of this study was driven by the scant amount of research in developing nations investigating the link between public debt and growth taking into account the causality and endogeneity issues. Although there is a substantial literature on the impact of public debt on growth, relatively few studies have been conducted on a sample of developing economies exclusively and particularly for Africa, but the latter has remained one of the continents with the highest and worrying growing level of public debt. This research aims to analyze the impact of public debt on the economic growth of Zimbabwe over the period 1990-2000. This study is based on the small developing state, Zimbabwe, and it provide a good case study because as most low income countries, it has limited access to international capital markets and thus the impact of external debt and domestic debt on these economies can be different as compared to emerging market countries. Moreover external debt may have indirect effects through private and public investment through the debt overhang and crowding out effects. Further, one should also not ignore the indirect effects of debt accumulation and service through private investment (debt overhang) and public spending (crowding out). Thus given the possibility of endogeneity and important feedback effects, the research uses the dynamic time series analysis, namely a Vector Autoregressive framework. The motivation to use this framework is that it allows important insights on the role of public debt on, not only economic growth but ultimately on private and public investment as well. Statement of the Research Objectives To develop a pragmatic model to understand the relationship between national debt and economic performance To ascertain the relevance of debt in determining economic policy To establish critical benchmarks that developing countries can use to enhance bond markets. Key Research Questions What are the drivers for the level of debt in developing countries? What are the determinants of economic performance? What role do stocks, bonds and alternative asset classes play in resolving country debt? Are prescriptive models and or solutions on debt from developed economies workable for developing nations such as Zimbabwe? Hypothesis In undertaking this research, emphasis is to test the following hypothesis upon which the results of this study are based: Public debt has a negative influence on the economic performance of a country. Zimbabwes economic decline is attributed to heavy debt overhang. The alternative hypothesis of this study is as follows: Public debt does not have any influence in the economic performance of a country. Zimbabwes economic decline has no relationship with public debt. Definition of Terms Definitions form an integral part in the compilation of the research. The definition of terms given below, where used consistently in the entire research report. Public Debt this is defined as the total debt owed by the Central Government which include both domestic and external debt, Bloomsburg (2007). External Debt It refers to the part of a countrys debt that is owed to creditors who are not residents of the country, Bloomsburg (2007). In other words it refers to the obligations that are owed by residents to non-residents. Debt Service refers to the future debt repayments of both the principal and interest amount. Economic Performance refers to those issues dealing with the amount and value of money, wealth, debt, and investment, SDI (1996). It is the general outlook of the economy as measured by relevant economic indicators such as GDP/GDP per capita. Country Debt refers to total obligations owned by the country to non-residents. Debt Sustainability The OECD Economic Surveys (2002) define debt sustainability as the ability of government to service its borrowings, both internal and external without resorting to rescheduling or accumulation of arrears. Thus, debt is sustainable when it can be serviced without resorting to exceptional financing or a major correction in the future balance of income and expenditure. Debt sustainability relates to the assessment of the level of debt that can be serviced without resorting to exceptional financing or a major correction in the future balance of income and expenditure. Research Design The type of research design adopted is both experimental and correlational in nature. The study will triangulate correlation and qualitative aspect to increase the degree of control over factors reviewed. The specific focus on Zimbabwe draws understanding of the study as a case study. Robson (2002:178) defines a case study as, a strategy for doing research which involves an empirical investigation of a particular contemporary phenomenon within its real life context using multiple sources of evidence. The purpose of the study is to examine the relationship between variables, in this instance, developing country debt and economic performance. The degree of control on factor variables in this research will clearly be moderate as the role of environmental influence and human perception will relatively be inconsistent. Secondary Research (Correlational Research). To assess the empirical relationship between the major variables, that is debt and economic growth, the research makes extensive use of econometric modeling. The modeling stage incorporates other variables, which although not underlying the core objective of the relationship being analysed, are considered relevant explanatory variables to the dependent variable. The causal effect among the variables is often indirect, has significant components of the feedback effect and exhibits elements of endogeneity. To account for this, the research uses dynamic time series analysis, namely a Vector Autoregressive framework. The motivation to use this framework is that it allows important insights on the role of public debt on, not only economic growth, but ultimately on private and public investment as well. Advance filtration of the modeling variables to enhance model purity and relevance is achieved through various forms of pre-modeling tests. The univariate properties of all data series are investigated to determine the degree to which they are integrated, provide valid statistical inference and avoid problems of spurious relationships. Both the augmented Dickey-Fuller (ADF) and Phillips-Perron (PP) unit-roots tests will be employed for that purpose to show whether the variable are integrated of order 1 (I(1)) and thus stationary in difference. The time series characteristics of the data will be analysed by utilizing the statistical tools such as the R-squared, unit roots, the t-statistic, the probability value (p-value) and the Dubin Watson Statistic (DW statistic). Justification of the Vector Autoregressive Framework Public debt does not only affect growth a priori (that is in the expected negative effect on economic growth), but countries with better economic performance may also better deal with the external debt phenomenon. In fact higher economic growth in turn increases a countrys creditworthiness and this may attract more capital inflows. If the capital inflow is long term or Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), the need to borrow may decrease. Moreover external debt may have indirect effects through private and public investment through the debt overhang and crowding out effects. In addition, one should also not ignore the indirect effects of debt accumulation and service through private investment (debt overhang) and public spending (crowding out). Thus given the possibility of endogeneity and important feedback effects, we use dynamic time series analysis, namely a Vector Autoregressive Framework, to analyse the hypothesized link. Such a framework will allow important insights on the role of public debt not only on economic growth but ultimately on private and public investment as well. Significance of the Study. The envisaged modelling framework will provide debt managers in Zimbabwe and the region with an objective and efficient tool to analyse and cope with vulnerabilities in their public debt portfolio. This awareness shall be enhanced by the post-modeling user test and analysis performed as part of this research. The research focuses on country specific factors and seeks to contribute to the development of econometric modelling in Zimbabwe and comparable countries in the region. The precision of policy making and public finance management in Zimbabwe is severely weakened by lack of quantitative insights into the workings of the economy. Over the years, little or no attempt has been made to scientifically assess the impact of the countrys runaway debt on such variables as economic growth, provision of social services and Foreign Direct Investment flows. This research represents an important step towards addressing this dearth of analytical insight. Chapter Conclusion The above chapter highlighted the core research problem, research objectives, research questions and the research hypothesis adopted to develop econometric model output for this paper. In the following chapters the researcher shall review as follows: Chapter 2: The literature review Chapter 3: The methodology Chapter 4: Findings and detailed analysis of the Zimbabwean market Chapter 5: Conclusions Chapter 6: Recommendations

I Enjoy Chemical Engineering :: Graduate Admissions Essays

I Enjoy Chemical Engineering    You can get very frightened when you are stepping into a field which is unfamiliar, especially if that field has a reputation as the most challenging major. To me, switching my major from mechanical engineering to chemical engineering at Clarkson University was a difficult long-thought-out decision. It was a result of 18 months of reflection and discussion with faculty. Now, I so enjoy my chemical engineering courses that I plan to continue my education in this field.    The controversy that pushed me over the edge of fear of changing my major was the air pollution problem caused by our transportation. I have always been in love with cars and motorcycles, so I want to work on the electrical vehicle (EV) to fight this environmental problem.    As you know, the state of California will implement the regulation that requires all car manufacturers to sell Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) by the year 2003. Although manufacturers have decided the EV is a quick practical solution, I believe there are many problems that need further research. The latest prototype EV uses a Nickel-Cadmium (Ni-Cd) battery as a power source. The battery is mechanically simple, yet, it could be a good alternative to an ordinary internal combustion engine. However, the EV requires about a 288-volt battery which weighs about 1170 lbs. This Ni-Cd battery costs well over $30,000! Some EVs even require a 200-volt power source, a specially made battery charger, and may take up to eight hours to recharge. Even in Volvo's breakthrough idea of an EV with a gas turbine which serves as an energy source and recharges simultaneously, the gas turbine is made of Boron, which is extremely expensive. As a graduate student, I hope to work on developing lighter, more effici ent and economical materials that can contribute to solving the problems with electrical vehicles.    I am committed to my major, chemical engineering, because, as a mechanical engineer, I could only get involved with the development of the structure of EV's but not the development of advanced materials that may be used for electrical vehicles.    I seek more specialized education in advanced material development and the advanced chemistry behind a cleaner burning alternative source of energy, such as methanol. With this special knowledge, I will devote all my effort to creating advanced materials that are cheap, light, and can store more energy than the Ni-Cd battery; it would not be a dream to have clean air in the near future.

Teenage Marriage :: essays research papers

The rapid increase in the number of early marriages over the past several years coupled with the extremely high rate of divorce within this same group makes this subject extremely important. If you are a teenager and are seriously considering an early marriage, these are a number of potential problem areas of which you should be aware, so that, if you do decide that this is the best course of action, you will be alert to the possible difficulties which could lie ahead. First, the problem of adequate financial support is obvious. Although money does not buy happiness, it is true that a tight financial situation can create tensions which can undermine an otherwise happy relationship. While some financial problems are to be expected in almost any new marriage, it is important to take time to think sensibly, so that such problems will not destroy what could otherwise be a beautiful relationship, if not undertaken prematurely. This is not to suggest that you wait about marriage until every possible financial problem has been completely solved, but rather simply suggests that you do not close your eyes to the real situation whatever it may be. Talk with other young couples who have been married for several months to get a more realistic idea of the financial problems you are likely to face. It is unfortunate, but true, that what sounds like a lot of money to you now, may seem to be very little when monthly bills must be met. It is also a good idea to realize that if parents or in-laws are depended upon too heavily for financial support that this can provide the basis for other later family conflicts as well. Regardless of the good intentions involved, it is almost always true that the person who controls the money ultimately rules the situation. Although some newly married couples find it necessary to temporarily make their home with their parents, this is generally not a wise choice unless absolutely necessary and then only for as short a period of time as possible. (Genesis 2:24). The old proverb which states that "no house is large enough for two women" can also apply to other members of the family as well. Not only does this type of arrangement tend to produce family conflicts, but the lack of privacy also tends to make early sexual adjustments much more difficult, thereby producing an atmosphere which can lead to far more serious problems in later years.

The change in enthalpy for the combustion of magnesium metal Essay exam

The change in enthalpy for the combustion of magnesium metal Abstract ======== Hess’s law of heat summation states that the value of DH for a reaction is the same whether it occurs directly or as a series of steps. This principle was used to determine the change in enthalpy for a highly exothermic reaction, the combustion of magnesium metal. Enthalpy changes for the reactions of Mg in HCl (aq) and MgO (s) in HCl (aq) were determined experimentally, then added to that for the combustion of hydrogen gas to arrive at a value of –587 kJ/mol Mg. Compared with the accepted value of –601.8 kJ/mol Mg, our experimental error was 2.46%. Introduction In this investigation the change in enthalpy will be determined from the following equation: 2Mg + O2  ® 2MgO, but in an indirect manner. Magnesium metal burns with a bright extremely hot flame to produce magnesium oxide. It would be difficult to measure the heat of the reaction since the reaction is rapid and occurs at a high temperature (LeMay et al, 1996). So, to determine the change in enthalpy we will employ Hess’s Law of heat summation: It states that the value of DH for a reaction is the same whether it occurs directly or as a series of steps (LeMay et al, 1996). We will perform the two following reactions: Mg + 2HCl  ® MgCl2 + H2 and MgO + 2HCl  ® MgCl2 + H2O, determine their enthalpy changes (DHs), and they will then be â€Å"added† to that of a given equation, the combustion of water, H2 + 1/2 O2  ® H2O DH=-285.5 kJ/mol. In this investigation we will be working with potentially dangerous chemicals and safety precautions must be made. Magnesium oxide is a respiratory and eye irritant, the dust must not be inhaled and all work with MgO should be conducted in the fume hood ( Cartwright,... ...te, only having a 2.46% error. These errors may be accounted for by inaccurate measurements, mathematical mistakes, incomplete reactions, poor heat collection, incorrect recording of data, and poorly calibrated tools. To avoid such error one should label all materials, check each tool before use, take extra care in reading and recording of measurements, double check all calculations, and most of all be patient, labs take time and a rushed procedure leads to inaccurate data and incorrect analysis. Sources Cited Cartwright, H.(last revised 2002, November 5). Chemical and other Safety Information. The Physical and Theoretical Chemistry Laboratory, Oxford University. [online]. (accessed 2002, December, 4) LeMay, H.E.,Beall, H., Roblee, K.M., and Brower, D.C. (1996).Chemistry: Connections to our changing world, Laboratory Manual. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall. The change in enthalpy for the combustion of magnesium metal Essay exam The change in enthalpy for the combustion of magnesium metal Abstract ======== Hess’s law of heat summation states that the value of DH for a reaction is the same whether it occurs directly or as a series of steps. This principle was used to determine the change in enthalpy for a highly exothermic reaction, the combustion of magnesium metal. Enthalpy changes for the reactions of Mg in HCl (aq) and MgO (s) in HCl (aq) were determined experimentally, then added to that for the combustion of hydrogen gas to arrive at a value of –587 kJ/mol Mg. Compared with the accepted value of –601.8 kJ/mol Mg, our experimental error was 2.46%. Introduction In this investigation the change in enthalpy will be determined from the following equation: 2Mg + O2  ® 2MgO, but in an indirect manner. Magnesium metal burns with a bright extremely hot flame to produce magnesium oxide. It would be difficult to measure the heat of the reaction since the reaction is rapid and occurs at a high temperature (LeMay et al, 1996). So, to determine the change in enthalpy we will employ Hess’s Law of heat summation: It states that the value of DH for a reaction is the same whether it occurs directly or as a series of steps (LeMay et al, 1996). We will perform the two following reactions: Mg + 2HCl  ® MgCl2 + H2 and MgO + 2HCl  ® MgCl2 + H2O, determine their enthalpy changes (DHs), and they will then be â€Å"added† to that of a given equation, the combustion of water, H2 + 1/2 O2  ® H2O DH=-285.5 kJ/mol. In this investigation we will be working with potentially dangerous chemicals and safety precautions must be made. Magnesium oxide is a respiratory and eye irritant, the dust must not be inhaled and all work with MgO should be conducted in the fume hood ( Cartwright,... ...te, only having a 2.46% error. These errors may be accounted for by inaccurate measurements, mathematical mistakes, incomplete reactions, poor heat collection, incorrect recording of data, and poorly calibrated tools. To avoid such error one should label all materials, check each tool before use, take extra care in reading and recording of measurements, double check all calculations, and most of all be patient, labs take time and a rushed procedure leads to inaccurate data and incorrect analysis. Sources Cited Cartwright, H.(last revised 2002, November 5). Chemical and other Safety Information. The Physical and Theoretical Chemistry Laboratory, Oxford University. [online]. (accessed 2002, December, 4) LeMay, H.E.,Beall, H., Roblee, K.M., and Brower, D.C. (1996).Chemistry: Connections to our changing world, Laboratory Manual. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.

Organic vs. Inorganic Foods Essay

Introduction Our world today is infested and becoming way more dangerous with all these chemicals. In an effort to increase productivity and confine bigger market shares, the use of fertilizers, pesticides, food additives such as dyes and additives has become so common that artificial ingredients are now outnumbering natural ingredients on many food content labels, and it is the opinion of many experts that this forever increasing use of artificial fertilizers, pesticides, and chemical additives has a direct connection to the alarming rise in cancer rates and other health problems. (Aldrich, P.1) Organic foods are quickly becoming recognized as a reasonable alternative in this chemical loaded world. The focus on environmentally sound agricultural methods and prolonging agriculture is getting the attention of many who are now concerned about what they’re eating as well as the environment. Organic foods are what is happening. They are becoming a part of many traditional diets, and are viewed as an important and essential part of a healthy diet plan. They are also viewed as a reliable and safe alternative to the issues regarding conventionally grown, processed, and packaged foods. Many organic followers believe that once you’ve tasted organic foods you can’t go back to typically grown foods the taste is unbelievable. People are now looking for good food with real nutrition and quality and they’re finding it in organic foods. The realization of a need for quality food supplies is awakening interest in other areas such as environmental stewardship. These concerns range from recycling your pop cans to selecting environmentally friendly household cleaning products. Learning organics provides many easy and interesting ideas that can help you do your part in preserving a healthy, prosperous environment for the people in your family. Body Eating organic foods is the key feature of the natural passion that is taking over the country. Once an interest, organically grown foods seemed to be a major part of the diet of most people. Now with the growing attention on healthy habits and programs that help prevent illness, organic foods are quickly becoming the vital ingredients of the diet in typical America. Organic foods are the fastest growing style in the food industry. In fact, the demand for organically grown foods has increased 20% over last year. Sales of organic produce, for example, are now a multi-billion dollar industry. (Fisher, P. 22) Shopping the Co op has for a long time been the best place to find organic foods. Now with increased consumer interest organic specialty supermarkets are popping up all over the nation. Major supermarkets are also stepping up to the demand, offering organic food departments and organic options in the produce sections of the store. The look of the co-op is expanding to reflect the needs of added customers, and many gourmet oriented offerings are quickly becoming a part of the every day offerings at the co op, which only helps to make food shopping an increasing interesting and fun experience. As far as costs are concerned, those consumers jumping on the organic bandwagon will pay more for organic foods, but they believe that the benefits far outweigh the 5% to 20% increase in cost. The trend in organic food is growing and as competition increases in order to address skyrocketing customer demand, prices will stabilize. Here are a few of the nutrients that were found in higher levels in the organic foods: OChromium is a micronutrient that is low in Western diets. Its deficiency is associated with the onset of adult diabetes and atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries). Chromium was found to be higher in organic foods by an average of 78%. OSelenium is one of the antioxidant nutrients that protect us from damage by environmental chemicals. It is protective against cancers and heart disease. It was found to be an average of 390% higher in organic foods. OCalcium, needed for strong bones, averaged 63% higher in organics. OBoron, which has been shown to help prevent osteoporosis (along with calcium), averaged 70% more. OLithium, which is used to treat certain types of depression, was 188% higher. OMagnesium, which reduces mortality from heart attacks, keeps muscles from spasming, and eases the symptoms of PMS, averaged 138% more. OIn short, many of the minerals that I most often prescribe to my patients are found in much higher levels in organic foods. ORGANIC VS NON-ORGANIC Variations in Mineral Content in Vegetables. % of dry weightMilliequivalents per 100 gm dry weightTrace Elements parts per million dry matter Ash PhosCalMagnPotassSodBoronMangIronCoppCobalt SNAP BEANS Organic10. 450. 3640. 560. 099. 78. 67360227690. 26 Inorganic4. 040. 2215. 514. 829. 10. 01021030. 00 CABBAGE Organic10. 380. 3860. 043. 6148. 320. 4421394480. 15 Inorganic6. 120. 1817. 515. 653. 70. 872200. 40. 00 LETTUCE Organic24. 180. 4871. 019. 3176. 512. 237169516600. 19 Inorganic7. 010. 2216. 013. 153. 70. 061930. 00 TOMATOES Organic14. 200. 3523. 059. 2148. 36. 536681938530. 63 Inorganic6. 070. 164. 54. 558. 80. 051100. 00 SPINACH Organic28. 560. 5296. 0203. 9257. 069. 5881171584320. 25 Inorganic12. 380. 2747. 546. 984. 60. 8121190. 050. 20 Other studies have looked at vitamin levels of food plants treated with certain pesticides. They showed that application of some pesticides would significantly lower the vitamin levels in the plants they were applied to. This is different than the notion that plants raised with chemicals are low in nutrients because the soil is used up. This shows that chemicals actually reduce the amount of nutrients in plants after application. The nutrients most often affected are vitamin C, beta carotene, and the B vitamins. These nutrients are vitally necessary for the body to withstand the onslaught of chemical toxins. When they studied organic food for mineral levels, the researchers also looked for the amount of the heavy metals aluminum, cadmium, lead and mercury. Aluminum has been implicated for years in the development of Alzheimer’s disease. It’s content in organic food averaged 40% less that in commercial foods. Lead toxicity, which has been in the new a lot lately, can adversely affect our children’s’ IQ. It averaged 29% lower in organic foods. Mercury, which can cause neurological damage, averaged 25% lower in organic foods. (Aldrich, P. 1) Besides the lower levels of heavy metals, there are the chemical residues themselves. The big question is whether or not the accumulation of pesticide residues in non-organic foods is a real health concern or not. Studies have never been able to conclusively show a direct correlation between residues in food and a decline of human health, but there are numerous problems in doing any such study. The first is that you would need a population of people who are free of chemical residues to compare to, and no one has been able to find a group. According to an constant EPA study of fat samples taken from surgeries and autopsies across the country, we are all loaded with chemical residues. Similar studies done on other countries all show the same results. (Baer, P. 1) The clearest studies that we have about pesticide residues and disease are those looking at breast cancer. In the last few years there have been a chain of studies, each building upon the other, looking at the level of ddt, dde, and pcb in women, They have shown that chemical residues in the serum and fat cells of women greatly increase the risk of breast cancer. Since breast cancer is a major killer of women in this country it is reasonable to say that avoidance of pesticide residues in food could save numerous lives and reduce our health care cost dramatically. After 50 years of â€Å"Better Living through Chemistry† scientists have finally shown that breast cancer is associated with pesticide residue, they have yet to prove that it causes numerous other maladies. I am not waiting for them to prove it before I change my eating habits. (Fisher, P. 12) As a clinician who sees numerous environmentally poisoned people with health problems, I am convinced of an association between chemicals and disease. The biggest source of exposure for many people is their workplace, then their homes, followed by air, food and water. Of these the easiest to control are our home environment and our diet. Eating organic food, drinking pure water, and watching our airborne chemical exposure can have profound effects on our health. My friend Steve, who has now gone through an extensive protocol to remove the pesticide residue from his body and had regained his health, will back me up on that. When he added up the costs of his illness in time off work and medical expenses, he found that eating organic food was much less expensive than eating non-organic foods. He is eating better foods now, and my organic garden continues to grow, along with my children. Conclusion The only real problem with organic grown foods is that they are more expensive, and this is because the growers of this produce experience more loss since they don’t use pesticides on their crops. As for the health benefits just think, you wouldn’t want to put any of these chemical pesticides straight into your body, but that is essentially what is happening when you consume these foods that have been sprayed with pesticides. Over a period of time these can cause harm, and this is why organic foods are so highly recommended for people trying becoming healthier. The organic industry has seen an explosion of growth in the past few years. In 1992, sales had already reached $1. 5 billion(Fisher, P. 16). Today the market is worth almost ten times that, and by 2009 it’s predicted the market will double again to be worth close to $32 billion. Consumer demand for natural, organic foods is booming and shows no signs of slowing down. Look for labels that say certified or authentic organic. Labels that say all natural or naturally grown are OK, but they are not the same as certified organic which demands the achievement of certain regulations. Producers and handlers must be certified by a USDA official certifying agent to sell, label, or represent their products as 100 percent organic or made with organic. References 1)Aldrich, Samuel R. â€Å"Which System Can Meet the Food Needs in Today’s World? † Conventional V. Organic Farming. 09 Dec. 2006 . 2)Baer, Firman E. â€Å"Firman E. Baer Report. † Orgnanic Vs. Inorganic. Rutgers University. 12 Dec. 2006 . 3)Fisher, Helen S. Food Safety. Detroit: Gale Group, 2004. 1-29. 4)Lexile. â€Å"Good Food? – Good Food? Ethical Food. † The Economist 9 Dec. 2006: 12. 5)†Wal-Mart Charged with Selling Nonorganic Food as Organic. † U. S. Newsire 14 Nov. 2006: 17-18. 6)Corbett, John R. The Biochemical Mode of Actions of Pesticides. New York: Academic P, 1974. 2-16. 7)Dunn-Georgiou, Elisha. Everything You Need to Know About Organic Foods. New York: Rosen Publications, 2002. 65-82. 8)Lipson, Elaine. The Organic Foods Sourcebook. Chicago: Contemporary Books, 2001. 15-42. 9)Rousseau, George S. Organic Form: TH Elife of an Idea.