Ethnicity in Film Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Ethnicity in Film - Essay Example This film was significant on a number of levels. It was a major Hollywood release budgeted that brought in a box office of 23 million dollars and yet it managed to honestly depict the events of a highly politically charged event. It also examined the complexity seeking self identity in a group long persecuted in examining a character played by Val Kilmer who was at odds with his native heritage preferring to deny its existence and through the events of the story showed the self discovery of racial pride and identity of this character. This paper will explore the issues and themes raised by the film as they relate to the depiction of native culture. It will examine how the film showed the fight for ethnic identity in the face of outside pressures that are often hostile. This illustration of the complex nature of racial identity and political context are further heightened by the political context of the story. It will also highlight how the quest to depict native American ethnicity on film is still occasionally marred by stereotypes. The quest for identity for the protagonist is the main theme of the story. Val Kilmer's character Ray Levoi is of part Sioux descent and at the onset of the film he strongly denies his heritage. He does not talk about his heritage to his superior played by venerable actor and playwright Sam Shepard. He is shown to have become mainstream with his fashionable haircut and designer sunglasses and formal clothing. His initial contact with the people of the reservation his shown to be officious and unfamiliar. Grahame Greene's character,Walter Crow Horse who plays the town sheriff. does not like the intial presentation but something in him senses the inner conflict in the character. There is a marked tension in the character who is referred to as the Washington Redskin"" in hushed tones to refer to both his heritage and to his remarkable success in the bureau up to that point. With his succesful mainstream background Ray Levoi's character sees the events of the crime that he is sent to in vestigate through the official outlook of his boss. Slowly through the Graham Greene's character he awakens to his own heritage. After the intial presentation of the character there are series of events and individuals that slowly change his perspective on the purity of his own reasons for being there. The intitail reason for trip to the Reserve by the FBI is to capture Jimmy Looks Twice a chararcter who is believed to have murdered some FBI agents and is on the lam in the reservation. Apart from the steady tutelage of the town sherrif it is the idealisitc young teacher, Maggie Eagle Bear who appears to do the most to sway the protagonist's thinking. She is sincere and intelligent and she speaks to him of the real injustices that are going on in the reserve. The look at the poverty on the reserve is not spared in Apted's honest cinematography. She speaks to him at an educated level which he has come to respect from his own successes but unlike him she has not turned her back on her heritage. More than this, Ray's character sees her clear kindness and lack of rancor and it moves him. From this encounter on, Ra y starts to question his own motives for being on the reserve and

Evolution of the Nation Essay Example for Free

Evolution of the Nation Essay Pre-Civil War, the United States was way behind European countries like Great Britain, France, German and Belgium in terms of industrialization (Divine et al, 1991, p. 529). However, postwar, the nation saw its rise as an industrialized power, marked by economic boom, technological and medical advances and a transformed American society. The postwar industrialization was invigorated by the Civil War itself (Tindall and Shi, 1991, p. 889). The war brought on inflation which further â€Å"enhanced the position† of property owners and entrepreneurs (p. 889). Additionally, it was said that Republicans launched a policy built on business enterprise but its precise role in the country’s economic growth was not clearly justified (p. 889). It also helped that the government provided in creating regional and transcontinental railroads which not only paved the way for a revolution in transformation but also encouraged marketing across states (Jordan and Litwack, 1991, p. 533). The effects of this revolution in transportation would be discussed in length later on. Civil War brought the people together, encouraged them to change the landscape of the nation. Several conditions made it easier to embrace this industrial revolution. One iron manufacturer described the country as a bowl brimming with treasures (Divine et al, 1991, p. 529). The country was teeming with natural resources such as coal, iron, timber and iron ore (p. 529). As if these were not encouraging enough, the nation also saw a growth in people as many immigrants reached the country (p. 529). The population increase contributed to an increase in demand for products, which ultimately enabled businessmen and entrepreneurs to invest more, whether in factories or mines. When more Americans were able to provide funds for various ventures, industrialists formed corporations (p. 529). Compared to a single business, investors bought shares to own the company. Based on the corporation’s profit, they received dividend. This share buying enabled industrialists to raise more funds in augmenting the business (p. 530). The US government, local, state and federal, was also a big factor in fueling economic boom. As stated earlier, the government served a pivotal role in railroads consolidation. But that was not all. The government bestowed money and land to jump start industries. Aside from safeguarding private properties, the government pushed for individual industrialism, where people became entrepreneurs, owners of their own enterprises. Entrepreneurs thrived during the Industrial Revolution. Railways were the key to the country’s expanding productivity. It opened up linkages to other states. Railroads were instrumental in allowing transportation of raw materials like iron, steel and lumber to travel to the West, creating a national market in the process (Tindall and Shi, 1991, p. 889). Post-Civil War, the railroad mileage increased from 53,000 to 94,000 (p. 889). In fact, by 1880s, railroad building reached its peak, from 167,000 to 199,000 (p. 890). Railroads brought the nation together, allowing for faster travel, accessibility and comfort as compared to other forms of land transportation (Divine et al, 1991, p. 533). For example, a horseback travel would cover 50 miles in one day but on a train, the travel time would also cost one hour (p. 533). Railroads made it easier for people to socialize to others, especially those living in isolated areas. Not only did it encourage mingling, railroads also fostered trade among states (p. 533). Carrying raw materials, railroads paved the way for mass production and mass consumption, which translated to greater financial wealth for the country (p. 533). The Industrial Revolution also saw the rise of Americans in inventions and manufacturing. Alexander Graham Bell’s invention of the telephone created a centralized way of communication. Machines that were aimed at making work faster cropped out during this time, from the typewriter, cash register, to the electric sewing machine and refrigerator cars (Divine et al, 1991, p. 536). Advertising also saw an increase during this time as businesses tried to convince the public to buy their products or seek their services (p. 539). Newspapers and magazines were instrumental in the growth of advertising. The impact of industrialization saw the rise of Americans workers (Jordan and Litwack, 1991, p. 451). It was the workers themselves who toiled hard for the nation to reach its new industrial age but there was a start contrast between the two. While industry giants like Rockefeller and Carnegie continued to amass wealth and power, workers were left to do the hard work to ensure that giants stayed on top. In the 1900s, wage earners toiled for ten hours a day (Divine et al, 1991, p. 542). Earning $6-12 a week, families had a hard time surviving. Aside from the long hours and low pay, most workers had no job security (p. 542). The introduction of machines also raised the risks for factory workers (Jordan and Litwack 1991, p. 451). Additionally, machines also reduced the task of workers, resulting in lower paychecks (p. 451). It also did not help that the working class was dominated by men. This labor unjust ushered in women and labor unions (p. 458). As with any economic boom, the country also experienced the lows of business cycles, with the panic of 1893 when bank loans grew bigger than deposits made, resulting in the collapse of many firms (Divine et al, 1991, p. 579). For a long time, the government did not stop monopolies. This made the big companies control most of the industries. The concentration of power in the hands of the few was guaranteed to provoke the people to start questioning the system. It led eventually to the creation of the Sherman Act of 1890, which allowed the government to control big businesses (p. 576). The act was instrumental in breaking up one of the largest trust in the country- the Standard Oil (p. 579). The economic growth also made an impact to the government. During this time, the country experienced corruption, reform movements, and political party differences. Factionalism was common. Republican reformers who called themselves Mugwumps sought for civil service reforms (Jordan and Litwack, 1991, p. 471). Under the Republican leadership of Presidents Hayes, Garfield, and Arthur, the issue of monetary policy was at stake (pp. 474-478). Following the depression of 1890, calls for reforms started to surface, leading in an era of progressivism. The progressivism was a movement that sought for â€Å"democracy, social justice, honest government, effective business regulation, and a commitment† to serve the public (Tindall and Shi, 1991, p. 1073). Mainly the idea was to bin the evil wrongdoings while preserving the system. Leaders of the progressive movement believed that doing the aforementioned would ensure the progress of the country. Journalists played a pivotal role in exposing the scandals and corruptions that plagued the country (Divine et al, 1991, p. 612). Journalists who dug the social ills of America were called muckrakers, after President Theodore Roosevelt related them to a character in John Bunyan’s Pilgrim Progress (p. 1074). Democracy was an important element in progressivism, as progressives thought that it would help the government in doing its work (p. 1076). Another major element of progressivism was productivity. Progressives believed that improving productivity would reduce waste. By incorporating Taylor’s theory on scientific management, which focused on dividing the production process into several step, progressives alleged that production would increase and mistakes would be eliminated (p. 1077-1078). Progressives also called for business regulation, bureaucracy eradication, and strengthened social justice (p. 1080). Three presidents served during the Progressive Era- Theodore Roosevelt, Taft and Wilson. Each had their own vision on the spirit of progressivism. References Divine, R. et al. (1991). America the people and the dream Illinois: Scott, Foresman and Company. Jordan, W. and L. Litwack (1991). The United States combined edition. New Jersey: Prentice Hall. Tindall, G. and D. Shi (1991). America A Narrative History 5th Ed. New York: W. W. Norton and Company.

Was Colonialism Good for Uganda? :: African Africa History

Was Colonialism Good for Uganda? Introduction The past is another country, where it is only possible to go as a tourist, and which we will never fully understand. We can describe what we see, but it is far more difficult to know why people acted in the way they did, or what they believed, and why they believed it. Uganda too is another country, which did not even exist before the white man went there. Even the name reflects the ideas of the first explorers, whose gateway into the new territory was via the Buganda tribe, whom they were later to use as their colonial agents as British rule was extended. Those who 'discovered' Ugandan and the source of the Nile which the first explorers were seeking - men such as Speke and Stanley - and the soldiers and administrators who came after them undoubtedly believed in the superiority of European culture in a way which we today would consider unacceptably racist. Although they were impressed by the sophistication of Bugandan society, they implicitly assumed that Africa was more backward than Europe, that Africans would benefit from exposure to Western standards and practises, and of course from Christianity. To a degree this allowed them either to justify or even to suppress what now looks to be the crude reality that their underlying agenda was the extension of British influence, the promotion of British commerce, and the expansion of the British Empire, all without reference to the actual wishes of the Ugandan people. But then, even in Britain at thattime, democracy was a new idea and many people, including women, still did not have the vo te. Having said that, many Ugandans would today accept that their country had at some stage to be brought into contact with the modern world, and even that they were comparatively lucky in being colonised by the British rather than by, for instance, the Belgians whose brutal rule in the Congo was far crueller than that of the British Protectorate in Uganda. Moreover, the fact that the arrival of the British in Uganda was not accompanied by the theft of African land for white farmers - as it was in Zimbabwe or Kenya - meant that some of the bitterness and resentment felt about European rule in some African countries was not a feature in Uganda. So race relations, even today, are more relaxed in Uganda than in many parts of the Continent.

Woman in Black

Why do you think Susan Hill called her story The Woman in Black? How effective is it as a title? One of the most important parts of any book can be the title and in this case, Susan Hill has decided on her title as being The Woman in Black. Throughout this essay I will be looking at how Susan Hill has used her title effectively and I will also look at the reasons why Hill might have named her title The Woman in Black.At first it may seem a very simple title but as I will go through in this essay, simple might be the very cause of the effect it makes. Firstly, the story itself is heavily based on a gothic genre which consists of all the things you would expect to see in a gothic novel, haunted houses, isolated areas, dark themes and of course, in this particular novel, this mysterious ‘Woman in Black’. With this gothic genre, comes a gothic title which is definitely identified by one word, â€Å"Black†.The work ‘black’ always creates a negative mood an d shows darkness and links this mood with the story, so you know what sort of things to expect from this book just from the title but more importantly, you want to know why. This is what will encourage the reader to read and enjoy the book. Secondly, I think a sense of mystery is created by the title ‘The Woman in Black’ and this creates questions about the book. This adds to the enjoyment of the book as their will always be tension and suspense in anticipation about the appearance of the Woman in Black.An example of this is when Arthur Kipps calls the woman in at the funeral â€Å"the woman with the wasted face†, this would just seem normal but the fact that this woman is all in black relates us back to the title which creates suspicion about this woman. The main questions I think the title brings up about this book is who actually is this Woman in Black and why is she so important in the book? And these questions will stir around in your head the throughout the novel and will add to the effect that the Woman in Black brings as all will be focused on her.Overall, I think the title ‘The Woman in Black’ forms a better interest for the novel in a variety of different ways and all these different ways, however small or large their effect, build up and create the effect as a whole. I think the effect is most noticeably shown through the entertainment of the novel which the title adds towards as well and the main reason I think Susan Hill named her novel this title was to enhance the entertainment that this novel produces. Woman in Black Why do you think Susan Hill called her story The Woman in Black? How effective is it as a title? One of the most important parts of any book can be the title and in this case, Susan Hill has decided on her title as being The Woman in Black. Throughout this essay I will be looking at how Susan Hill has used her title effectively and I will also look at the reasons why Hill might have named her title The Woman in Black.At first it may seem a very simple title but as I will go through in this essay, simple might be the very cause of the effect it makes. Firstly, the story itself is heavily based on a gothic genre which consists of all the things you would expect to see in a gothic novel, haunted houses, isolated areas, dark themes and of course, in this particular novel, this mysterious ‘Woman in Black’. With this gothic genre, comes a gothic title which is definitely identified by one word, â€Å"Black†.The work ‘black’ always creates a negative mood an d shows darkness and links this mood with the story, so you know what sort of things to expect from this book just from the title but more importantly, you want to know why. This is what will encourage the reader to read and enjoy the book. Secondly, I think a sense of mystery is created by the title ‘The Woman in Black’ and this creates questions about the book. This adds to the enjoyment of the book as their will always be tension and suspense in anticipation about the appearance of the Woman in Black.An example of this is when Arthur Kipps calls the woman in at the funeral â€Å"the woman with the wasted face†, this would just seem normal but the fact that this woman is all in black relates us back to the title which creates suspicion about this woman. The main questions I think the title brings up about this book is who actually is this Woman in Black and why is she so important in the book? And these questions will stir around in your head the throughout the novel and will add to the effect that the Woman in Black brings as all will be focused on her.Overall, I think the title ‘The Woman in Black’ forms a better interest for the novel in a variety of different ways and all these different ways, however small or large their effect, build up and create the effect as a whole. I think the effect is most noticeably shown through the entertainment of the novel which the title adds towards as well and the main reason I think Susan Hill named her novel this title was to enhance the entertainment that this novel produces.

Neil Harbisson’s Eyeborg

Neil Harbisson's Eyeborg Maria Marrero Palm Beach State College Abstract This paper explores the new technological advances for people with Achromatopsia from research conducted mostly online. All of the research conducted explains the device on how it is used and what it is used for. It also shows how the sounds are conducted so the people using the eyeborg can understand it. Neil Harbisson's Eyeborg Barcelona based artist, Neil Harbisson was born with a condition called Achromatopsia which means that he was born color-blind.He has described himself as a cyborgist and colorologist. With the help of a new technological device that is attached to the back of his skull can translate color to sound. Harbisson can hear the color of sound through audible frequencies through this device in which he calls an â€Å"eyeborg†. Harbisson has used the term sonochromatism (or sonochromatopsia) to define his new condition. He explains that â€Å"achromatopsia can no longer define his condi tion because achromatopsics cannot perceive nor distinguish colors.He also explains that synesthesia does not define his condition accurately because the relation between color and sound varies depending on each person, whereas sonochromatopsia is an extra sense that relates color to sound objectively and equally to everyone† (Harbisson, 2012). The idea for the device came about when he was attending Dartmouth College of Arts in England, where Harbisson met Adam Montandon   who was giving a lecture on cybernetics and they [came together] to start developing the eyeborg project (Disaster, 2012).The device, called an eyeborg, comes out of the back of his head and hangs in front of his eyebrow. Jennifer Lee, writing for the New York Times, says: Mr. Harbisson’s current eyeborg is pressed against the base of his head with extremely high pressure, which allows the sounds to reverberate along his skull to his eardrums. But his new eyeborg, to be implanted in September, will be connected to his body through three screws in his head — two to support the antenna and electronic chip, and a third for the sound to be passed into his skull, which will vibrate with the sound.He expects it will take about two months for the bone to heal around the implant. (Lee, 2012) According to Jordan Chittley, he states that a chip that is implanted in Harbisson's skull and then converts the light waves into sounds and he hears it through his bone. â€Å"The eyeborg works with a head mounted camera that picks up the colors directly in front of a person, and converts them in real-time into sound waves† (Neil, 2012). C on the scale represents blue, F represents red, A represents green and so on (Chittley, 2012).Harbisson can see up to a total of 360 colors, which is more than the naked eye can see. The first eyeborg had a computer component [which was] the size of a laptop and Harbisson [carried it] around in a back pack (Molinsky, 2011). â€Å"We are using te chnology constantly. Every single day we wear technology in our pockets, we sleep with technology beside our beds — we never separate from technology. The simple next step is to attach all this to our body† (Molinsky, 2011). Harbisson uses his eyeborg to help him paint in color.Harbisson states that the â€Å"eyeborg looks like an antenna that comes out from my head and goes up to the front of my face. At the back of my head there's a chip which transforms the light waves into sound, and I hear the colors, not through my ears but through my bone† (Harbisson, 2012). The spreading of the cyborg devices are being realized particularly with vision. Earlier this year in Britain, surgeons [have] implanted chips in the eyes of patients with retinitis pigmentosa, [which is] a disease that causes gradual blindness, in order to [stop] and reverse their condition (Lee, 2012).When he spoke with the hospital bioethics committee, Mr. Harbisson argued that this surgical techniq ue could be used on other people (Lee, 2012). He said, in particular, that a more [refined, classier] versions of the sensor could be used for reading, [like for example] the need for Braille (Lee, 2012). According to Eric Molinsky, Harbisson uses [his] eyeborg to help him paint in color. He also states that Harbisson create[d] sound portraits by scanning people's faces and turning the resulting tones into short musical compositions (Molinsky, 2011).Some of his subjects are [his] friends and family, while others are celebrities he had met [previously] (Molinsky, 2011). Harbisson believes that the eyeborg and [other] devices like [itself] should not only be used for people with disabilities. In his opinion, no one should be restricted to the senses that us humans have developed (Molinsky, 2011). Jennifer Lee states that Harbisson wants to see more improvements to his eyeborg, focusing mainly on the electricity source (Lee, 2012).He has to change the antenna through a USB port at the back of his head (Lee, 2012). He does not want to depend on electricity. . References Chittley, J. (2012, February 20). Eyeborg neil harbisson hears colour with head-mounted camera. Retrieved from http://ca. news. yahoo. com/blogs/daily-buzz/eyeborg-neil-harbisson-hears-colour-head-mounted-camera-193727166. html Disaster. (2012, September 19). I listen to color: How sound is bringing neil harbisson one step closer to cyborg status. Retrieved from http://shocklee. om/2012/09/i-listen-to-color-how-sound-is-bringing-neil-harbisson-one-step-closer-to-cyborg-status/ Harbisson, N. (2012, February 12). The man who hears color. BBC News Magazine, Retrieved from http://www. bbc. co. uk/news/magazine-16681630 Harbisson, N. (2012, February 24). Neil harbisson: The eyeborg. Retrieved from http://reset-blog. com/2012/02/24/neil-harbisson-the-eyeborg/ Lee, J. (2012, July 2). A surgical implant for seeing colors through sound. New York Times, Retrieved from

Culture in Japan Essays

Culture in Japan Essays Culture in Japan Paper Culture in Japan Paper Japan geographically is small in area which contained an approximate 125 million people. The country has a literacy rate of almost 100% with 95% of the population studied high school education. The country is under the rule of a constitutional monarch with parliamentarian democracy as form of government. It is the Prime Minister who stands as the Chief Government Officer. The dominant and exclusive religion in Japan is Shinto, which is similar to Buddhism-the basis and roots of their tradition worldwide, though not really official. Buddhism develops culture of art and temples, which had a substantial role in civic life and meditative religious facet. The ideas of hierarchy, loyalty, and the emperor as the son of heaven came from Confucianism of China. Giving order and sanction to the system of government implied in Shinto came from Daoism. Christianity brought a combination of Western ideas, particularly those involving social impartiality and transformation. Figure 1 Religion in Japan Source: www. cyborlink. com/besite/japan. htm Japanese are introvert people, who are not mostly open to strangers. Loyalty to the group and relationship is significant for successes when carrying out business inside this country. In analysis using the Hofstede’s Model of cultural dimensions, it was observed that this Asian country is high in power distance, low in individualism, high in uncertainty avoidance, high in masculinity and high in long term orientation. Figure 2 Hofstede’s Cross Cultural Analysis of Japan Source: www. geert-hofstede. com/hofstede_japan. shtml Legend: PDI= Power Distance Index IDV= Individualism MAS= Masculinity UAI= Uncertainty Avoidance Index LTO= Long-Term Orientation Though of equal footing when it comes to legal rights, still women are not treated fairly against men in the workplace, which means there is still implicit prejudice going on. Mostly, assignments for women belong to the lower grade tasks. Marriage and giving birth are primary reasons for women to leave their jobs. The manner of dressing is dictated by the status or position. Men always wear dark suits with slip-on type of shoes, especially when having business dealings for ease and comfort. Women on the other hand, should be dressed in conservative manner, with minimal accessories and low-heeled shoes to prevent being taller than men. Japanese men find it unpleasant for women to be in pants during business transactions. The Japanese hate pointing, blowing nose in public places and facial expressions that will give double meaning. Entertainment, particularly drinking is a significant part of both social and business life of the Japanese, which is usually held in â€Å"hostess bars†. Seldom do Japanese invite someone in their homes and when they do; it could be considered an honor for the guest. When entering a traditional Japanese restaurant, it is their custom to remove their shoes. Matters pertaining to business are usually talked about during dinner, in which food is ordered and paid by the host. Giving tip is uncommon for the Japanese, because said cost is already part of the invoice. Usually the host also explains the different variety of menu on offer. Slurping noodles during mealtime is appreciable to show enjoyment for the food. When not in use, chopsticks should be placed on the holder provided on the table; do not point them to anyone nor leave them sticking into the rice, because it is improper to do so. It is impolite not leave some food on the plate at the end of the meal to demonstrate an adequacy. The Japanese are also affectionate in giving gifts, equally for business and personal purposes. Gifts need not be extravagant, but should always be in good taste. Alcohol, particularly good single malt whisky, is always an appreciated present. It is vital not to use white paper to wrap the gift, because said color means death for the Japanese. There must be word of warning before a gift is given. Using both hands is essential in giving and accepting any gift. The Japanese take satisfaction in gift wrapping, therefore caution must be observed when opening the present, which is usually done at the end of the appointment. Shun from giving gifts in numbers of four (4) or nine (9), because these are ill-fated for them. Keep away also from presenting sharp objects as gifts to any Japanese because it suggests ones wish to conclude a relationship. Meishi or business card, just like a gift must be formally given and received with both hands, placed carefully on top of the table in which the Japanese language is presented side up. The exchange of meishi must be completed to formally open the business discussion. The same level of respect must be given to the card and the man. Writing or leaving the card behind means lack of reverence. Presentment of the card must be done after the bow. When greeted with a customary bow, it must be returned together with a business card, if any. The lowness of the bow measures the level of relationship of the two (2) persons communicating. Eyes must be kept low and palms must be placed next to thighs when bowing. The Japanese never say and accepts â€Å"no† for an answer. Knowing this fact is necessary in the negotiating with them.

Red Badg of Courage Essay essays

Red Badg of Courage Essay essays Henry Fleming was just a child when he entered the army. Even though his journey into manhood took a while, he finally got where he was headed . This journey included many people and things, that help Henry along the way. At first Henrys mother gave him some advice. She told him that there are many men in the army who are bad and that he should stay away from them. She also told him that he should remember his father. He never drunk a drop of licker in his life, and seldom swore a cross oath. This was said in the beginning of the book. It may have not sunk in at first, but he would remember bits and pieces of what she said to help him along the way. Wilson, the loud soldier, helped Henry also. One way that he helped him was by showing him that he was trusted. When Wilson gave Henry the yellow envelope, it showed Henry that he was trusted enough and was thought highly enough of for Wilson to trust Henry with something he valued. Together, they mourn a little for their lost comrade, Jim Conklin. Jim, too, helped Henry along on his journey into manhood. When Jim suffered in his long, agonizing death, it brought a lot of courage into the Young soldiers eyes. Did Henry really want to fight in a battle? Was Henry really brave enough to fight in a battle? The most important influence on Henrys journey into manhood was himself. All of the things that were said to him though out the book would not have sunk into Henrys brain if he wasnt trying to think. The way he argued with himself, during the course of the book, was the main way that he grew into a man. He began to question everything he had believed in. In a way, Henry did most of the work to help himself along his journey into manhood. ...

How to Use the Word However - Proofread My Papers Academic Blog

How to Use the Word However - Proofread My Papers Academic Blog How to Use the Word â€Å"However† The adverb â€Å"however† is one that causes some confusion, so it’s important to use it correctly in your academic writing. But how is this term used? And how do you make its meaning clear in your written work? It’s all a matter of punctuation†¦ However (Whatever) This sense of â€Å"however† typically means â€Å"to whatever extent† or â€Å"in whatever manner†: I’ll catch you one day, however far you run! It’s not a formal event, so dress however you want. Note that in the examples above, there’s no punctuation between â€Å"however† and the thing it’s modifying (i.e., distance/mode of dress). Another (less common) use of this term is as a synonym for â€Å"how.† More specifically, it means â€Å"how under the circumstances,† so is typically used when referring to something challenging: However do proofreaders remember all those grammatical rules? As above, you’ll notice there is no punctuation between â€Å"however† and the rest of the sentence. However (Nevertheless) When this term is used as a conjunctive adverb to connect two contrasting points, it should be followed by a comma: I had planned to go out today. It was rainy, however, so I stayed inside. The initial results were positive. Further testing, however, is still required. Here, it is being used to contrast the latter sentence with the former. As such, we can reformulate these sentences to use â€Å"but† instead: I had planned to go out today, but it was rainy, so I stayed inside. The initial results were positive, but further testing is still required. Can I Start a Sentence with However? Since â€Å"however† can substitute for â€Å"but,† some claim it shouldn’t be used at the beginning of a sentence. Nevertheless, even if the idea that you shouldn’t use a conjunction like this were true, it wouldn’t apply in this case. Unlike the coordinating conjunction â€Å"but,† â€Å"however† is not used to link two independent clauses in a single sentence. As such, if you want to use it to contrast two points, you need to make sure they are both complete sentences. Beginning a sentence with â€Å"however† can even emphasize a contrast, since it flows more smoothly, foregrounds the comparison and ensures clarity: The initial results were positive. However, further testing is still required. But if you don’t want to use this term at the beginning of a new sentence, you can also connect two sentences with a semicolon: The initial results were positive; however, further testing is still required. However you choose to use â€Å"however,† however, make sure you punctuate correctly so that your reader will understand what you mean.

Systematic Change in Hand Hygiene at the Point of Care Research Paper

Systematic Change in Hand Hygiene at the Point of Care - Research Paper Example This can be achieved through staff education on hand hygiene protocol as set forth by Veterans Health Administration's Hand Hygiene Directive, which is based on the hand hygiene recommendations of the World Health Organization (WHO). This is an evidence-based project to determine the knowledge base of RNs, LPNs and NA prior to each Clinical Focus Session. The theory that hand washing with soap and water will prevent the spread of HAIs, especially Clostridium Difficile, which are frequently found in â€Å"hospitals, nursing homes, extended care facilities and nurseries for newborn infants† (Lee, 2011). Introduction: There is a controversy regarding the ability of water and soap as compared to alcohol hand rubs or â€Å"alcohol sanitizers† (Mayankj, 2010). While most people use soap and water to clean their hands, it is often felt that water alone cannot do the trick of destroying germs. Again, in places where water is scarce and not freely available, it is necessary to c lean hands using alcohol sanitisers. The main advantages of these are that they are convenient to carry, are more effective than soap and water, and do the job of destroying germs faster than conventional soap and water. Besides, these are known to have the potential to â€Å"act quickly to kill microorganisms on hands and.. do not promote antimicrobial resistance† (Alcohol-Based Handrubs: Easy as 1, 2, 3, 2010). Literature Review: Studies were conducted through a prospective multicenter study â€Å"to assess the dryness and irritation of the hands in health care facilities, and to evaluate whether that disinfection with an alcohol-based hand rub (ABHR) is better tolerated than classic hand washing with mild soap and water. Our study was conducted in 9 sites in the summer and winter. A team of investigators evaluated dryness and irritation. This study takes into account most of the individual and environmental risk factors (age, sex, use of a protective agent, constitutional factors, personal factors, external factors, institution, function, and number of consecutive working days)† (Chamorey, et al, 2010). 1. According to the Veterans Health Administration’s hand hygiene directive, that is the VHA Directive 2005/2 on hand hygiene practices, it is necessary to † Use an alcohol-based hand rub or antimicrobial soap to routinely decontaminate their hands before and after having direct contact with a patient.† This is in order to avoid the chances of catching infection through patients. The VHA has also recommended that portable hand rubs be readily available for use. (VHA Hand Hygiene Information and Tools, 2009). 2. The WHO guidelines on hand hygiene in health care provide health-care workers (HCWs), hospital administrators and health authorities with a thorough review of evidence on hand hygiene in health care and also endorse specific recommendations to improve practices and reduce transmission of pathogenic microorganisms to pa tients and HCWs. The present guidelines are intended to be implemented in any situation in which health-care is delivered either to a patient or to a specific

Green Zone Dissertation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Green Zone - Dissertation Example According to the research findings it can therefore be said that as the primary target of Urbanwell is to develop a facility that will have a positive impact on the living standard of the community and harness a culture of growth and development. Another aspect of paramount importance is the sustainability of the facility that is to be developed, as this venture does not consider financial profit making as its prime motive. But the self-generation and regulation of finance will provide stability to the social enterprise. Urbanwell is a charity organisation and being cost effective in its service charges is of utmost importance as well and this aspect will completely change the business and operational model of the enterprise. Lastly and most importantly the element of risk must be minimum as we are aware of the fact that the profit margin is going to be very short and so will be a recovery time incase a loss is faced. Hence all actions must be analysed and counterproductive actions m ust be highlighted and eliminated. Concluding, what Urbanwell requires is facility that is cost effective both to the end user and establishment, sustainable on economic, environmental, cultural grounds and provide progressive and healthy growth to the community. For these reasons we as development consultants propose that Urbanwell must make its investment of about  £ 3.5 Million in developing â€Å"Green Zone†.... According to the report 25 percent of boys and 33 percent of girls aged between 2 and 19 years are overweight or obese. Then more than 60 percent of adult males will be stated as obese by 2050.Whereas more than 50 percent of overweight children will become overweight adults. But the most distressing fact is that the amount of direct health service costs from obesity will increase 7 times by 2050 and it is to be noted that at present 45 Billion Pounds is spent on curative measures of obesity and obesity related illness. The statistics mentioned above are a clear indicative and propose themselves that we should seriously take some appropriate actions to safeguard our youth and preserve our future from the damage. We suggest that in order to create a healthy environment. We must develop facilities which provide both awareness and solution to the problem. For which we have come up with an idea of â€Å"Green Zone† whose aim would be to change the diet plan and eating habits of chi ldren in an interactive and unique manner. The marketing of Green Zone will not only help in increasing the sales of the company but will also aid in creating awareness of the problems associated with bad eating habits and illness. GreenZone would be working under the slogan of â€Å"Great Health is Great wealth†. It is to be noted that the Department of Health has come to a conclusion that the 71 million times UK children snack while traveling to and from school each week. This is a clear indicative of the potential market that we are going to focus. What we at Greenzone aim at is that firstly create awareness among people in general and mothers in specific that green and healthy diet is very

Morocco Country Risk Assessment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Morocco Country Risk Assessment - Essay Example Having been inhabited back in the Paleolithic times, most of the citizens are either Arabs or Berbers with the latter ethnic group forming the bulk of the population. Other ethnic groups that form part of the population include Haratin and Gnaoua. Additionally, the country is inhibited by more that 100,000 foreigners including Spanish and French who have invested in various sectors thus improving the country economic performance. Culturally, Morocco is known for being an ethnically diverse nation based on its hosting various foreigners who come from the East, South and other regions. Some of the key visitors who have contributed to the cultural growth of the country include Carthaginians, Arabs, Phoenicians, Romans, Andalusians, Jews and Vandals among others. Due to the interaction of the various groups in the country, Moroccan literature has continued to experience an expansive growth. For example, western and Middle East literary models have enhanced the growth of poetry and tradit ional Moroccan genres (Yahya 49). Similarly, the country rich cultural values have attracted expatriates academic and social writers such as Paul Bowles and Pierre Loti among others. Infrastructure One of the major factors that make Morocco a good country for investors is the highly developed infrastructure system as compared to other African countries. For instance, the country is served by more that 35, 946 miles and 18,800 miles of primary roads and secondary roads respectively. As a result, the cost of transporting raw materials and finished products within the country is low thus resulting to high profits by the local and foreign investors. Additionally, the government has continued to issues large number of licenses to... This paper stresses that a vital factor that makes Morocco a viable country for investors is the electrical power development. National Office of Electricity is the main government-owned firm that is responsible for providing electricity power in the country. Even though the country has significant oil reserves, most of the power was earlier generated from imported fuels from Saudi Arabia. This report makes a conclusion that Morocco is ruled under the constitutional monarchy with the prime minister holding major powers while the king hold few executive powers including dissolving the parliament. Two major chambers in Morocco parliament are the assembly of councilors and the assembly of representatives. To ensure justice in the country judicial system, the country constitution provides for an independent judiciary. In this way, politicians do not have much impact on the country court system thus reducing the level of corruption in the country. One of the remarkable political initiatives that occurred in 2011 was the drafting of new constitution that brought about major reforms in the country political system. For example, the king was given power to appoint a prime minister from the party with the majority seats in parliament. Similarly, the prime minister was given power to appoint high level diplomats and chief executive officers of the government owned organizations. It is worth noting that the constitutional also gave power to all citizens by ensuring freedom of creation, ideas, thought among others.

Keeping a Competitive Edge on the Marketplace Coursework

Keeping a Competitive Edge on the Marketplace - Coursework Example This paper discusses that  Microsoft uses brand loyalty to maintain the competitive edge where they provide to the customers the windows OS on purchase of their products. On the other hand, they are using the incentives they provide with the products one buys from the brand making the users more inclined to their products. Another company that stamps competitive advantage in the market place to gain the market share by this ways is Luis Vuitton. They give the consumers quality in the products maintaining their loyalty.As the study declares  by hiring good designers with experience the company stamps more credit in the market as its consumers incline to the designers they love. This is also employed in software and app producing companies like Google. Google further asserts its market presence by production of better apps and advances in the product upgrades making the consumers glued to the progressive services.  There are many ways of stamping competitive advantage in the mark et place. As a result, to establish the competitive edge in the market place is a crucial aspect in the market control. To establish the brand loyalty in a company is one of the ways to stamp competitive advantage in the market. This means that the company has to make its consumers become loyal to the products in the market. Continual innovation in the company products especially the software gives companies a competitive edge.

Evaluate the actions of the Spanish, French, English, and Dutch Essay

Evaluate the actions of the Spanish, French, English, and Dutch explorers and colonizers. Be sure to consider their impact on the native peoples, the environme - Essay Example New trade routes were a necessity in competing with other European countries. Trade of European goods for spices and other goods not available in Europe were in high demand. An explorer who opened up or discovered a new trade route was handsomely compensated by their government. Wilkenson (2002, p. 20) explains â€Å"more and more explorers tried to open up trade routes.† Faster trade routes to countries with raw materials were valuable. The faster a ship could reach a country with valuable resources, the sooner they could beat other countries wanting the same materials. Riches also drove the explorers. They were searching for gold, silver, spices, and other natural resources. Abernethy (2002, p. 211) explains how these explorations were â€Å"leading Spain and Portugal to vie in the early sixteenth century for spice-rich islands off Asia’s southeast coast†. Tales of streets of gold and diamonds lying on the ground made it back to Europe. Although the Europeans did not believe such tales, the explorations were popular. Abernethy (2002, p. 191) reports â€Å"led Europeans to ask more insistently whether statements about the world were supported by the evidence. Maritime exploration having paid rich and unexpected dividends.† The expense was being returned ten fold on ships funded for exploration. Spices, gold, diamonds, and other natural resources were being sold at a fraction of the cost to obtain them. These explorers were treasure hunting for their governments, with the dividends paying off richly. The problem with the Europeans finding riches was where the riches were located. The natural resources were located in North and South America, Africa, and other lands not yet explored by Europeans. The natives they met were exotic. However, the Europeans easily conquered these new cultures in order to take their natural resources. Suddenly, the natives were second class citizens in their own

MARKET ANALYSIS AND REPORT Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

MARKET ANALYSIS AND REPORT - Essay Example The following factors help in obtaining the reason behind different arithmetic means exhibited by the given institutions: An appropriate investment decision will entail the consideration of the prevailing political and legal changes. These changes, including tax changes, have direct influence on the decision made by an investor in the industry. The changes either can be against or in favor of profitability witnessed depending on the strategies taken by the industry to reduce the influence. For instance, reduction of tax in a certain industry will attract investor. Tax decrease normally associates to high profitability in that given industry consequently attracting more investors. Before making investment decision, investors always consider the historical performance of the company in the market. The historical performance gives appropriate information for determining the probability of a company to achieve profitability in its operation. Since profit acts as the main objective any investor, their decision will depend on the profitability in the recent years. The ability of a company to sustain the interest of the investors for a long time will depend on the associate expected future trends. In future, a company may decide to adopt mergers, acquisition or dividend declaration leading to the change in the image it upholds to the investors. Declaration of dividend by a company accentuates the certainty of the company to increase the share dividend to the investors. Further, action by a company to merge will also insinuate profitability to the investors. Acquiring part of a company also increases the share dividend that a company gives to its investors. The occurrence of these three changes shows that expected future events may affect the investor’s decisions. These factors, as indicated, influence the choice made by the investors making them be of significance to the manager when making

Evaluate the actions of the Spanish, French, English, and Dutch Essay

Evaluate the actions of the Spanish, French, English, and Dutch explorers and colonizers. Be sure to consider their impact on the native peoples, the environme - Essay Example New trade routes were a necessity in competing with other European countries. Trade of European goods for spices and other goods not available in Europe were in high demand. An explorer who opened up or discovered a new trade route was handsomely compensated by their government. Wilkenson (2002, p. 20) explains â€Å"more and more explorers tried to open up trade routes.† Faster trade routes to countries with raw materials were valuable. The faster a ship could reach a country with valuable resources, the sooner they could beat other countries wanting the same materials. Riches also drove the explorers. They were searching for gold, silver, spices, and other natural resources. Abernethy (2002, p. 211) explains how these explorations were â€Å"leading Spain and Portugal to vie in the early sixteenth century for spice-rich islands off Asia’s southeast coast†. Tales of streets of gold and diamonds lying on the ground made it back to Europe. Although the Europeans did not believe such tales, the explorations were popular. Abernethy (2002, p. 191) reports â€Å"led Europeans to ask more insistently whether statements about the world were supported by the evidence. Maritime exploration having paid rich and unexpected dividends.† The expense was being returned ten fold on ships funded for exploration. Spices, gold, diamonds, and other natural resources were being sold at a fraction of the cost to obtain them. These explorers were treasure hunting for their governments, with the dividends paying off richly. The problem with the Europeans finding riches was where the riches were located. The natural resources were located in North and South America, Africa, and other lands not yet explored by Europeans. The natives they met were exotic. However, the Europeans easily conquered these new cultures in order to take their natural resources. Suddenly, the natives were second class citizens in their own

Utopia Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Utopia - Essay Example On the contrary, I think its' very far from being Utopia. But what is Utopia I would think that it is a world where there is peace and love among all men. But according to Plato's The Republic, he considered a perfect state to have two things: the perfect man and the perfect justice. A perfect world cannot exist if the people that consists it are flawed. I must agree albeit hesitantly, because come to think of it, the world is nothing but the sum of the people which consist it. Hence, to make a perfect world, the men that form it must be perfect as well. Although we have come a long way since our barbarian ancestors, we are not perfect still. According to Charles Darwin, men may have noble qualities and god-like intelligence and yet "men still bears in his bodily frame the inedible stamp of his lowly origin." Since it is our body that limits us and prevents us from being perfect, Plato has suggested in The Republic that in the modern world, sickly and deformed children are segregated and put to death so they don't contaminate nor burden the rest. They are flawed, and there is no room for flaws in a perfect world. Plato suggested that in a perfect world, there is unity among men and they are one with the state. Men cease to be mere individuals and instead they are seen as members of the state. I agree with this line of thinking because if men today would think this way, they would hesitate before doing harm to another, because if they injure another, they injure the State. And in a way, they injure themselves. However, to attain this oneness with the State, Plato suggests communal property under the control of the state. Likewise, it suggests that the State rears the children without parents knowing their offspring. All of these are aimed to prevent accumulation of wealth, brains, beauty and other qualities of birth. Again, I must agree to this line of thinking. Because to have a complete unity with the State, one must surrender everything to it, otherwise, wealth will be concentrated only to certain individuals, beauty and brains would only be limited to only one family. This is what is happening now. And as we see, it leads to inequality and injustice. Can We Attain Utopia In my opinion, it will be nearly impossible to attain Utopia. First of all, we are flawed men. And as things are going with respect to human rights advocacy, I don't think it is possible to segregate the deformed and sickly and put them to death. Such would be contrary to all tenets of human rights. Likewise, while it's more possible to have community of property as such exists in certain communist nations today. I don't think it is possible for the State to rear children. No parent would agree to give up their child. All of us are brought up in a family environment and we are taught how important family ties are. In the work of Rene Descartes, he concluded that a piece made by one person out of scratch is more perfect than a piece that evolved from different pieces merged together. We are the latter. The human race evolved and our society is what it is now based on various experiences. Thus, it is less perfect. To attain perfection, we must start over. Destroy what we have now and build it

Organic vs. Conventional Grown Food Flavor Essay Example for Free

Organic vs. Conventional Grown Food Flavor Essay Ever wonder what truly goes in to the food that is produced and sold in our grocery stores. You would be surprised as to what is used to grow the food we eat. Conventionally grown foods can use trace amount of nicotine and arsenic to keep food pest free. Conventionally grown food can be pumped with hormones that allow the crops and animals to grow larger or produce more fruit and vegetables. By using all of the artificial products in conventionally grown food we change the flavor, size and color of fruit, vegetables and animals, including their byproducts. People may not realize what is used to grow these huge vegetables and chicken breasts. Organically grown food is not only tastier but also has more health benefits when compared to conventionally grown food. We will discover the benefits and disadvantages to both organic and conventionally grown food. This will provide the reader with tools to make a decision on to whether to use organic or conventionally grown food. In order for food to be called organic, it must be grown without the use of synthetic fertilizers or pesticides. Although organic foods carry very minute levels of toxin naturally present in them, they are not harmful to us at these levels. By not using synthetic fertilizers and pesticides, organic foods can naturally develop the nutrients and vitamins that a person needs to maintain a healthy, well balanced diet. Keeping these foods the way they naturally grown allows them to develop larger and more full of these valuable items that would be reduced because of the many chemicals and pesticides used to grow the convention foods. As to whether organic food is tastier, is up to the individual. Many professional chefs and home cooks prefer to use organic food when possible because they feel the flavors are stronger and taste more natural. Organic food is richer in color; therefore making the dishes not only taste better but help also to create a more appealing presentation. To them organic food has a fresher taste and a more natural flavor because the food is allowed to grow naturally and develop the way it would occur as nature intended it to. Organic food does cost more because of the time it takes to prepare the soil and let the food grow as nature intended. This cost more in labor and time so that the price for these can be inflated. When you take into consideration the health benefits of not putting in harmful chemicals and better taste of the food, they outweigh the cost of purchasing these products Conventionally grown foods are grown with a large amount of chemicals and pesticides that can be harmful to consumers in the long wrong. Now there are arguments that the levels of these products are so small that they are not harmful to consumers; but there are plenty of signs to the contrary. Look at how rapidly and early boys and girls are maturing compare to those of the past. This can be accounted for or â€Å"blamed† on the amount of hormones fed to animals to grow them larger and enhance them, so that they produce more by products, such as eggs and milk. The chemicals used to grow larger crops and protect them from rotting and pest also has negative effects. It has caused a rise in allergies that was just not prominent twenty or thirty years ago. The shorten times of growth that conventionally grown foods have can stunt the development of vital nutrients that they would produce if they were to be grown in the normal periods they would have. This can really have a negative effect on having a balanced diet because consumers will have to add supplements, like synthetic vitamins, to get their daily nutrient levels. Again, as to whether conventionally grown food taste better or worse, is up to the individual but most professional chefs feel it does not taste as fresh or has natural flavors like those in organic food. The flavor in conventionally grown food is not as developed because it has shortened growth time. Fruit, vegetables and animals need time to naturally develop and grow as nature intended them to so they can develop all of the good stuff we love. Conventionally grown food does cost less because it is grown so fast and in mass quantities without care for the environment or any harmful effects to the consumers. The short-term side effects are not as bad to the long-term side effects that will be passed on to generations upon generation. Saving a dollar at the risk of a person’s health seems to me to be a very large risk that is not necessary. Organically grown food is a much better choice because more naturally nutrients, better developed flavors and appearance even if the cost of purchasing them is higher. Conventionally grown food is the exact opposite. The chemicals and hormones are resulting in early development in our children and an increase in the levels of people with allergies. Professional chefs prefer organic food to conventional food because it develops the flavor profiles of their dishes more and improves the appearance of it as well. Just because the cost of conventionally grown food is lower than that of organically grown food, the disadvantages of them are much higher. Risking the future of our children is simply not worth saving a few dollars. It is up to the individual as to where to choose organic food but choosing it will provide the tools for a brighter tomorrow and a healthier today. We need to teach our children healthier ways to eat and live, if we expect them to grown up and live productive lives.

Treatment Intervention to Improve Sleeping Habits

Treatment Intervention to Improve Sleeping Habits Individual Assignment: Bad Sleeping Habits Koh Ke Mian Bad Sleeping Habits According to Carskadon and Dement (2011), sleep is both combinations of physiologic and behavioral processes. When sleeping, the awareness to environment stimuli will decrease (Carskadon Dement). On the other hand, National Institutes of Health (2011) had stated that sleep is just for your brain and body to shut down. People always think sleep is merely their â€Å"down time† due to their brains will shut off when sleeping. Therefore, people will always stay up late because they will think sleeping is not important and it is wasting their time. Moreover, the researchers found that how much you rested depends on the total sleep, timing of the sleep stages, and how much sleep you get each night (National Institutes of Health). Besides, Kashmir Monitor (2012) had stated that health problems are caused by the sleeping patterns. In this globalization and urbanization, bad sleeping habit has become common and more and more young people stay up late to make sure their work is done o n the day. In addition, people will also sacrifice their sleep to do other things, such as rushing assignment which due on the next day, watch movies, play games, or chit chatting. According to Sleep Health Foundation (2011), bad sleeping habits is defined as poor sleep hygiene. Bad sleeping habits can be refer as erratically bedtime routine, which is not enough sleep for each day and sleeping very late. Bad sleeping habits may bring a lot of consequences to us which may influence our life. There are consequences that will be affected by bad sleeping habits. According to Harvard Health Publications (2007), there are connection between sleep and heart disease. They had stated that bad sleeping habits may cause heart disease and heart disease will affect the quality of sleep (Harvard Health Publications). On the other hand, the researchers had also mentioned that bad sleep habits brings a lot of consequences, such as high blood pressure, atherosclerosis, heart attack, heart failure, stroke, diabetes, and obesity (Harvard Health Publications). According to Harvard Health Publications, there will be higher risk of getting heart attack due to the bad sleeping habits. Furthermore, the researcher had also stated that bad sleeping habits causes higher risk of getting mood disorder such as major depression (Oster, 2012). Other than that, the researcher had found that students who have bad sleeping habits will negatively affect their academic performance (Park 2009). In addition, bad sleeping habits may also affect the performance and difficulty concentrating in class (Park). National Institutes of Health (2011) had stated that people who suffer from lack of sleep will slower down the thinking processes, harder to focus or pay attention on something, may cause confusion easier, make the wrong decision and risk taking, and slower down the reaction time. People who do something which need quick reaction may be dangerous if they suffer from lack of sleep. According to Cain (2012), the intervention of school will be effective in increasing the knowledge of sleep to adolescents. However, there are no significantly improvements of changing bad sleeping habits (Cain). On the other hand, students had stated that there were no motivations for them to change their habits in order to get more sleep (Cain). According to Cain, he had stated that people who have bad sleeping habits have the trend to avoid the morning bright light. Other than that, the researchers had mentioned that changing a behavior may require the willingness of an individual (Miller Rollnick, 2002, p.10, as cited in Cain). To change the bad sleeping habits, the individuals should have the willingness to change and believe on their own ability which they can change the habits. Motivating me is the way that I can change this habit and knowing more about the effect that cause by the bad sleeping habits may force me to change it. I will change this habit due to the consequences that could bring me. According to Harvard Health Publications (2007), lack of sleep will cause high blood pressure, atherosclerosis, heart attack, heart failure, stroke, diabetes and obesity. Lack of sleep may also affect an individual difficult to focus, decrease reaction time, and faulty decision making (National Institutes of Health, 2011). In addition, the tools that I will use to help me change my bad sleeping habits are avoid to take caffeinated drink at least four hours before going to sleep, not to take nap in the evening because it may make it harder to sleep at night, not taking meals when going to bed but not feel hungry, try to go to bed at same times, and not spending too much of time with bed while not sleeping (Sleep Health Foundation, 2011). According to LeBourgeois, Gi annotti, Cortesi, Wolfson, and Harsh (2005), as cited in Marhefka (2011), avoid taking nap in the late-afternoon or taking nap more than an hour during daytime, and not taking alcohol, caffeine, and tobacco before going to bed may have good sleeping habits. Method To make sure that I change the behavior, the behavior that I measure is the bad sleeping habits. In the baseline phase, I have used a mobile app which called sleepbot (Refer to Appendix F) to help me record my sleeping time and wake up time. This app help to record people’s sleep pattern and it can also track motion. It can help people know what are the problems that make them cannot sleep well and they can change their sleeping pattern through understanding this. Moreover, through recording my sleeping time and wake up time, I can know the amount of my sleeping time that I slept in a day and mostly what time I go to bed. Moreover, in treatment phase, I had set alarm clock for myself which remind me to sleep and wake up on time. Besides, sleepbot is the app that could help me calculate my amount of sleep and how much I debt to my sleep. I had set up the hours that I have to sleep which is eight hours a day and I set the alarm clock by using this app as well. Through using this sleepbot application, it reminds me the time I have to sleep everyday which may help me change my bad sleeping habits. On the other hand, this app may also allow me to record my daily sleeping quality. I will choose this app to help me change my bad sleeping habits because this app has a lot of functions which I can use it and no need to download so many apps that help me record my sleep quality. Furthermore, I will choose this app to help me change my behaviour because the first things that I will do when I open my eyes is check my smartphone. This app has the alarm clock system, so I will turn off it when it ring and it records my wake up time together, and I think it is very convenience. Results In the baseline phase, there are 54.4 hours of sleep time from 29th January 2015 to 5th February 2015 (Refer to Appendix A). The average daily sleep in these seven days is 9.1 hours. There is only a day which I did not sleep for eight hours. However, the earliest sleep time for me is at 12.14am and the latest sleep time is at 1.39am (Refer to Appendix B). Other than that, my earliest wake up time in the baseline phase was at 7.15am, and the latest wake up time was at 11.06am. Even though the total average sleep for me was 9.1 hours, but I do not have a healthy life style (Refer to Appendix A). Therefore, I would like to change it and make me be healthier. The treatment phase started from 12th February 2015 to 19th March 2015. In this treatment phase, I had found that the earliest sleeping time for me was at 11.15pm, but the latest sleep time was at 2.57am (Refer to Appendix D). This has showed that the behaviour that I would like to change had failed. Furthermore, my average sleep ti me in this treatment phase is 8.8 hours per day (Refer to Appendix C). It showed I slept more than eight hours a day, but my sleeping time and wake up time are not the same every day. On the other hand, the researcher had stated that if a person want to have good sleeping habits, they should go to bed at the same time (Sleep Health Foundation, 2011). According to Appendix E, the longest time I slept was about 12 hours, and the shortest time I slept was about four hours. My consumption of sleep dramatically changes every day. Furthermore, the results had showed that I did not change my sleep behaviour throughout the time and it had showed that I had slept latest in the treatment phase than baseline phase. Discussions This treatment programme did not work for me. This is because Lunar New Year was in my treatment phase, and I went to travel on that time. I could not sleep on time because I was not in the hotel on that time. Furthermore, this treatment programme failed because the treament period was the assignment weeks and I had to sacrifice my sleeping time to finish my assignment on time. In addition, I think procrastination is the important effect that I have to sacrifice my sleeping time to do my assignment. On the other hand, I think the app was useful, however, it could not motivate me to sleep earlier. Moreover, I think the weakness of this app was that I have to open the app myself while I want to record my sleep time and it is not convenient for me when I was feeling sleepy. It caused me lost my drowsiness when I started to set my sleeping time. This is because I have to think where my app is which caused me to regain consciousness. I think this app had contributed to me 60 percent out o f 100 percent. This is because it does not provide any other functions such as tips which help for sleeping, or music which makes people relaxes. Furthermore, I always switch off my smartphone when I am sleeping. However, this app needs to on my phone all the time and it drain my phone battery whole night. The difficulties that I had faced in this treatment phase were I did not have any motivation which helps me to sleep earlier. In addition, there were a lot of others factors which caused me to sleep late, such as rushing assignment, watch drama, or chit chatting. Procrastinating could affect my sleeping time. Furthermore, I think that because of nobody urge me to sleep earlier which makes me do not care on it. Besides, I had influenced by other people (e.g. family and housemates) that they all sleep very late and it makes me to sleep late also. According to Voke (2002), environment encourages exploration will encourage the child’s natural motivation. The motivation will come from the encouragement of environment. Other than that, according to Saul (2014), he stated that procrastinating could affect ability to sleep, and also affect general health and well-being. I think the app could add some music in which could help people to relax when they are stress out and could not sleep due to the stressful environment. In addition, I think the app may provide some functions which calculate the intake of caffeine, tobacco, and alcohol in a day. This is because the amount of taking caffeine, tobacco, and alcohol may also affect the quality of sleep. Other than that, I think this app should change their system which allows their user to switch off their phone while they are sleeping. It not only helps the users sleep better, it also helps the users to save the battery of their phone. Besides, I think I should ask someone to urge me to done my work earlier and also go to sleep before 12am. I think it could be effective if someone urging me. Moreover, stay with the people who sleep early could motivate me sleep earlier. In addition, I may also require my family to sleep earlier which help to motivate me.

Female Protagonists Essay -- essays research papers

The desire for freedom is a similar aspect of the female protagonists Louise Mallard, Mathilde Loisel, and Emily Grierson.In Kate Chopin's, "The Story of an Hour," Guy DE Maupassant's, "The Necklace," and William Faulkner's, "A Rose for Emily," the female protagonist's have a desire for freedom. The stories are about three women living in patriarchal societies. Each character longs for freedom in a different way, but because of the men in their lives they are unable to make their own life decisions.In "The Story of an Hour," Louise Mallard is a repressed married woman that has a heart condition. The reaction to her husbands presumed death is a sign that she is unhappy. After hearing the tragic news she goes up stairs to her room and looks out an open window and notices "new spring life", "the delicious breath of rain", and "countless sparrows twittering in the eaves." As she looks out the window among the storm cl ouds, she stares at patches of blue sky. "It was not a glance of reflection, but rather indicated a suspension of intelligent thought." Louise is not grieving over her dead husband or having negative thoughts about her future. She realizes that she will have freedom through her husbands death and whispers over and over, "free, free free!" Her unhappiness is not with her husband, it is with her ranking in society because she is a married woman. Becoming a widow is the only cha...

Spread of buddhism throughout china

Spread Of Buddhism In China Buddhism is a path of practice and spiritual development leading to Insight into the true nature of reality. It is a religion that was founded in India in the sixth century BCE and was brought to China by the first century CE. When Buddhism was brought to China and it gradually won over converts, expanded throughout China, and influenced Chinese culture as we know it. In spite of Buddhism's dissemination throughout China there were still Chinese people who didn't convert to Buddhism due to their strong Confucian beliefs.The Chinese had two vastly different points of iews about Buddhism. The first point of view of the Chinese would be anti- Buddhism. This point of view was popular in that of Confucian Scholars and officials at the Tang imperial court. According to document's 3, 4, 6 Buddhism wasn't religion that one should practice. In Document 3 an anonymous Chinese scholar asks readers , † If Buddhism is the greatest and most venerable of ways , why did the great sages of the past and Confucius not practice it? The Chinese scholar is saying that if Buddhism is so great why did Confucius or Laozi, the great sage of Daoism not ractice Buddhism. This implies that Buddhism wasn't that great of a religion after all. The Chinese Scholars claims are biased. He writes strictly about the bad things about Buddhism. It is one sided and only answers with what he believes are failings of Buddhism.According to document 4 Confucian Scholar and Tang official believes that Buddhism is no more than a cult. He states,† Buddhism is no more than a cult of the barbarian peoples spread to China. The speaker is angered that Buddha was being honored by the ruler at the time (Your Majesty). Buddha was not of Chinese escent, he was foreign and doesn't deserve for his body to be admitted to the palace. † Confucius said : Respect Ghost and spirits, but keep them at a distance! â€Å". The speaker expresses that he is ashamed of what Your Maje sty is doing and begs that Buddha's bones be burned so that Buddha's evil be rooted out of China. The Speakers claims are one sided. He is a leading Confucian Scholar and has strict roots in Confucianism.According to document 6, the speaker, the Tang Emperor Wu says â€Å"Buddhism wears out people's strength, pilfers their wealth, causes people to bandon their lords and parents for the company of teachers, and severs man and wife with its monastic decrees. † Buddhism goes against the views of Confucianism damaging the five key relationships due to its monastic decree. The emperor believes that Buddhism should be eradicated and that it is evil. His argument is one sided he even states that the Buddhist temples have reached boundless numbers sufficient enough to outshine the imperial palace.The emperor is fearful of his reign as emperor and his loss of power throughout China. All three of these documents escribe the evils and failings of Buddhism and why it should eradicated in china. All three documents are also biased. An additional document that would also promote anti- Buddhism would be a Journal entry from the father of a convert to Buddhism and his description on how his life has changed as his as lost sight of the way he raised man taught him the Chinese ways ot tilial piety The second point ot view of the Chinese would be pro-Buddhism. Pro-Buddhism views are shown in documents 1,2,and 5.According to document 1, the end of one's sorrows is through the Buddhist doctrine, â€Å"The Four Noble Truths. There is sorrow in everything if you have cravings or passion. To get over your sorrow you must release yourself from your cravings and passions and Buddhism will teach you how to. The speaker is Buddha himself and is one sided because others might not feel as if they have sorrows because they have passions or that their passions make them happy and not sorrowful. According to document 2 whoever serves the Buddha and correctly observes his commandments will at the end of their life enter nirvana.This is one sided because some people might disagree and say that there is no nirvana and that ou continue to be reincarnated even if you do believe in Buddha. According to document 5 Buddhism was established according to the demands of the age and the needs of various beings. It encourages good deeds, punishes the wicked ones and rewards good ones. This is not biased because not only was the writer a leading Buddhist scholar, he was favored by the Tang imperial household. He also says that Confucianism and Buddhism were created for the same reason and lead to the creation of an orderly society and they should both be observed with respect.Another document that would promote pro-Buddhism would be a speech from someone who converted to Buddhism and lost all of his sorrows following the four noble truths. The spread of Buddhism to China was perceived in different ways by the Chinese people. Despite these various perceptions it spread like a domino effect. To this day the Buddhism is still a major religion in China. The Chinese put their own spin on the religion and it has stuck ever since. Today it coexist with Confucianism, a future that didn't seem too bright in the first century CE.

To Kill a Mockingbird-Mayellas Motives for Accusing Tom

In the novel To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee there is a recurring them involving racism and incest in the town of Maycomb, Alabama during the 1930’s. Mayella Ewell is a nineteen year old girl living at home with her abusive drunk father, and 8 younger brothers and sisters. Her mother died thus leaving her to be the mother figure in the poor household. Mayella accuses twenty-five year old black man Tom Robinson of raping her. Mayella had multiple motives for falsely accusing Tom Robinson of her rape. Mayella accused Tom because she was forced to by her father, Bob Ewell and because that man is her father. It is made very clear during the trial that it was not Tom Robinson who raped Mayella Ewell, but instead her own father. She blamed Robinson because she was evidently coersed by Bob Ewell. In Tom’s testimony he spoke of Mayella’s actions before Bob Ewell came in, â€Å"She says she never kissed a man before an’ she might as well kiss a nigger. She says what her papa do to her don’t count† (page 260). When Bob saw Mayella and Tom together being the mean drunk he is he beat and raped Mayella. In anger, he knew someone would have to pay for what he saw going on between Tom and Mayella. It was not hard to convince people in a town like Maycomb that Tom was guilty. He was black, he had a criminal record known to the citizens of Maycomb since it was such a small town, and he lived in the same neighborhood as the Ewells. People had most likely seen Tom entering the Ewell home because on more than one occasion, Mayella asked Tom to come in and help do some work around the house. â€Å"She’d call me in, suh. Seemed like every time I passed yonder she’d have some little somethin’ for me to do† (page 56). Mayella was coursed by her own father to accuse Tom because Tom was such an easy target to cover up her father’s actions. Mayella falsely accused Tom Robinson for another reason too. For the most part, victims love their abusers. Mayella is the victim and Bob Ewell is the abuser. Bob Ewell does not do anything productive but regardless he is still Mayella’s provider of many things like a home. Mayella, after being coersed by her father would much rather come off as the victim of abuse my some ‘evil’ black man than her father. â€Å"That nigger yonder took advantage of me an’ if you fine fancy gentlemen don’t wanta do nothin’ about it then ou’re all yellow stinkin’ cowards, stinkin’ cowards, the lot of you† (page 251). Mayella was the one who initiated the incident too so instead of taking responsibility for it she would rather put the blame on a black man who would of course not even have a chance in court. Mayella accused Tom Robinson for rape when in reality it was Bob Ewell, her father. She did this because her father made her do it and because she would much rather blame the black man than admit that she came onto him and that it was actually her father that beat and raped her.

Organic Farming Business Proposal

PB B A S E M E S T E R V I ORGANIC FARMING PROPOSAL GROUP 6 Iftekhar Ansari, Mujtaba Yameen, Priyamvada Panicker, Akbote Shiva, Vikas D, Jayadev B BBA †¢ Semester VI †¢ Group VI†¢ Organic Farming B B A S E M E S T E R V I BBA †¢ Semester VI †¢ Group VI†¢ Organic Farming Organic Farming Introduction Organic farming is the form of agriculture that relies on techniques such as crop rotation, green manure, compost and biological pest control.Organic farming uses fertilizers and pesticides but excludes or strictly limits the use of manufactured (synthetic) fertilizers, pesticides (which include herbicides, insecticides and fungicides), plant growth regulators such as hormones, livestock antibiotics, food additives, genetically modi? d organisms, human sewage sludge, and nanomaterials Organic agricultural methods are internationally regulated and legally enforced by many nations, based in large part on the standards set by the International Federation of Organ ic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM), an international umbrella organization for organic farming organizations established in 1972. IFOAM de? nes the overarching goal of organic farming as: â€Å"Organic agriculture is a production system that sustains the health of soils, ecosystems and people.It relies on ecological processes, biodiversity and cycles adapted to local conditions, rather than the use of inputs with adverse effects. Organic agriculture combines tradition, innovation and science to bene? t the shared environment and promote fair relationships and a good quality of life for all involved†¦ † —International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements Since 1990, the market for organic products has grown from nothing, reaching $55 billion in 2009 according to Organic Monitor (www. organicmonitor. com).This demand has driven a similar increase in organically managed farmland which has grown over the past decade at a compounding rate of 8. 9% per annum. [5] A pproximately 37,000,000 hectares (91,000,000 acres) worldwide are now farmed organically, representing approximately 0. 9 percent of total world farmland (2009) History Organic farming (of many particular kinds) was the original type of agriculture, and has been practiced for thousands of years. Forest gardening, a fully organic food production system which dates from prehistoric times, is thought to be the world's oldest and most resilient agroecosystem.After the industrial revolution had introduced inorganic methods, some of which were not well developed and had serious side effects, an organic movement began in the mid-1920s in Central Europe through the work of Rudolf Steiner, who created biodynamic agriculture, an early version of organic agriculture. Organic agriculture was independently developed in the 1940s England through the work of Albert Howard as a reaction to agriculture's growing reliance on synthetic fertilizers. Arti? ial fertilizers had been created during the 18t h century, initially with superphosphates and then ammonia-based fertilizers mass-produced using the Haber-Bosch process developed during World War I. These early fertilizers were cheap, powerful, and easy to transport in bulk. Similar advances occurred in chemical pesticides in the 1940s, leading to the decade being referred to as the ‘pesticide era'. Although organic farming is prehistoric in the widest sense, Sir Albert Howard is widely considered to be the â€Å"father of organic farming† in the sense that he was a key founder of the post-industrial-revolution organic movement.Further work was done by J. I. Rodale in the United States, Lady Eve Balfour in the United Kingdom, and many others across the world. The ? rst lectures and publications on organic agriculture stem from Rudolf Steiner, however, whose Lectures on Agriculture were published in 1925. The modern organic movement is a revival movement in the sense that it seeks to restore balance that was lost when technology grew rapidly in the 19th and 20th centuries. Modern organic farming has made up only a fraction of total agricultural output from its beginning until today.Increasing environmental awareness in the general population has transformed the originally supply-driven movement to a demand-driven one. Premium prices and some government subsidies attracted farmers. In the developing world, many G r o u p V I! Organic Farming 1 producers farm according to traditional methods which are comparable to organic farming but are not certi? ed. In other cases, farmers in the developing world have converted for economic reasons Methods Soil management Plants need nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, as well as micronutrients and symbiotic relationships with fungi and other organisms to ? urish, but getting enough nitrogen, and particularly synchronization so that plants get enough nitrogen at the right time (when plants need it most), is likely the greatest challenge for organic farmers. C rop rotation and green manure (â€Å"cover crops†) help to provide nitrogen through legumes (more precisely, the Fabaceae family) which ? x nitrogen from the atmosphere through symbiosis with rhizobial bacteria. Intercropping, which is sometimes used for insect and disease control, can also increase soil nutrients, but the competition between the legume and the crop can be problematic and wider spacing between crop rows is required.Crop residues can be ploughed back into the soil, and different plants leave different amounts of nitrogen, potentially aiding synchronization. Organic farmers also use animal manure, certain processed fertilizers such as seed meal and various mineral powders such as rock phosphate and greensand, a naturally occurring form of potash which provides potassium. Together these methods help to control erosion. In some cases pH may need to be amended. Natural pH amendments include lime and sulfur, but in the U. S. ome compounds such as iron sulfate, alum inum sulfate, magnesium sulfate, and soluble boron products are allowed in oganic farming. Mixed farms with both livestock and crops can operate as ley farms, whereby the land gathers fertility through growing nitrogen-? xing forage grasses such as white clover or alfalfa and grows cash crops or cereals when fertility is established. Farms without livestock (â€Å"stockless†) may ? nd it more dif? cult to maintain fertility, and may rely more on external inputs such as imported manure as well as grain legumes and green manures, although grain legumes may ? limited nitrogen because they are harvested. Horticultural farms growing fruits and vegetables which operate in protected conditions are often even more reliant upon external inputs. Biological research on soil and soil organisms has proven bene? cial to organic farming. Varieties of bacteria and fungi break down chemicals, plant matter and animal waste into productive soil nutrients. In turn, they produce bene? ts of healt hier yields and more productive soil for future crops. Fields with less or no manure display signi? antly lower yields, due to decreased soil microbe community, providing a healthier, more arable soil system Weed management Organic weed management promotes weed suppression, rather than weed elimination, by enhancing crop competition and phytotoxic effects on weeds. Organic farmers integrate cultural, biological, mechanical, physical and chemical tactics to manage weeds without synthetic herbicides. Organic standards require rotation of annual crops, meaning that a single crop cannot be grown in the same location without a different, intervening crop.Organic crop rotations frequently include weed-suppressive cover crops and crops with dissimilar life cycles to discourage weeds associated with a particular crop. Organic farmers strive to increase soil organic matter content, which can support microorganisms that destroy common weed seeds. Other cultural practices used to enhance crop competitiveness and reduce weed pressure include selection of competitive crop varieties, high-density planting, tight row spacing, and late planting into warm soil to encourage rapid crop germination.Mechanical and physical weed control practices used on organic farms can be broadly grouped as: Tillage – Turning the soil between crops to incorporate crop residues and soil amendments; remove existing weed growth and prepare a seedbed for planting; G r o u p V I! Organic Farming 2 Cultivation – Disturbing the soil after seeding; Mowing and cutting – Removing top growth of weeds; Flame weeding and thermal weeding – Using heat to kill weeds; and Mulching – Blocking weed emergence with organic materials, plastic ? lms, or landscape fabric. Some naturally sourced chemicals are allowed for herbicidal use.These include certain formulations of acetic acid (concentrated vinegar), corn gluten meal, and essential oils. A few selective bioherbicides based on f ungal pathogens have also been developed. At this time, however, organic herbicides and bioherbicides play a minor role in the organic weed control toolbox. Weeds can be controlled by grazing. For example, geese have been used successfully to weed a range of organic crops including cotton, strawberries, tobacco, and corn, reviving the practice of keeping cotton patch geese, common in the southern U.S. before the 1950s. Similarly, some rice farmers introduce ducks and ? sh to wet paddy ? elds to eat both weeds and insects. Controlling other organisms Organisms aside from weeds that cause problems on organic farms include arthropods (e. g. , insects, mites), nematodes, fungi and bacteria. Organic farmers use a wide range of Integrated Pest Management practices to prevent pests and diseases. These include, but are not limited to, crop rotation and nutrient management; sanitation to remove pest habitat; provision of habitat for bene? ial organisms; selection of pest-resistant crops and animals; crop protection using physical barriers, such as row covers; and crop diversi? cation through companion planting or establishment of polycultures. Organic farmers often depend on biological pest control, the use of bene? cial organisms to reduce pest populations. Examples of bene? cial insects include minute pirate bugs, big-eyed bugs, and to a lesser extent ladybugs (which tend to ? y away), all of which eat a wide range of pests. Lacewings are also effective, but tend to ? y away. Praying mantis tend to move more slowly and eat less heavily.Parasitoid wasps tend to be effective for their selected prey, but like all small insects can be less effective outdoors because the wind controls their movement. Predatory mites are effective for controlling other mites. When these practices are insuf? cient to prevent or control pests an organic farmer may apply a pesticide. With some exceptions, naturally occurring pesticides are allowed for use on organic farms, and synthetic subst ances are prohibited. Pesticides with different modes of action should be rotated to minimize development of pesticide resistance.Naturally derived insecticides allowed for use on organic farms use include Bacillus thuringiensis (a bacterial toxin), pyrethrum (a chrysanthemum extract), spinosad (a bacterial metabolite), neem (a tree extract) and rotenone (a legume root extract). These are sometimes called green pesticides because they are generally, but not necessarily, safer and more environmentally friendly than synthetic pesticides. Rotenone and pyrethrum are particularly controversial because they work by attacking the nervous system, like most conventional insecticides.Fewer than 10% of organic farmers use these pesticides regularly; one survey found that only 5. 3% of vegetable growers in California use rotenone while 1. 7% use pyrethrum (Lotter 2003:26). Naturally derived fungicides allowed for use on organic farms include the bacteria Bacillus subtilis and Bacillus pumilus; and the fungus Trichoderma harzianum. These are mainly effective for diseases affecting roots. Agricultural Research Service scientists have found that caprylic acid, a naturally occurring fatty acid in milk and coconuts, as well as G r o u p V I!Organic Farming 3 other natural plant extracts have antimicrobial characteristics that can help. Compost tea contains a mix of bene? cial microbes, which may attack or out-compete certain plant pathogens, but variability among formulations and preparation methods may contribute to inconsistent results or even dangerous growth of toxic microbes in compost teas. Some naturally derived pesticides are not allowed for use on organic farms. These include nicotine sulfate, arsenic, and strychnine. Synthetic pesticides allowed for use on organic arms include insecticidal soaps and horticultural oils for insect management; and Bordeaux mixture, copper hydroxide and sodium bicarbonate for managing fungi. Genetic modi? cation A key characteristic of o rganic farming is the rejection of genetically engineered plants and animals. On October 19, 1998, participants at IFOAM's 12th Scienti? c Conference issued the Mar del Plata Declaration, where more than 600 delegates from over 60 countries voted unanimously to exclude the use of genetically modi? ed organisms in food production and agriculture.Although opposition to the use of any transgenic technologies in organic farming is strong, agricultural researchers Luis Herrera-Estrella and Ariel Alvarez-Morales continue to advocate integration of transgenic technologies into organic farming as the optimal means to sustainable agriculture, particularly in the developing world. [32] Similarly, some organic farmers question the rationale behind the ban on the use of genetically engineered seed because they view this kind of biotechnology consistent with organic principles. Although GMOs are excluded from organic farming, there is concern that the pollen from genetically modi? d crops is inc reasingly penetrating organic and heirloom seed stocks, making it dif? cult, if not impossible, to keep these genomes from entering the organic food supply. International trade restrictions limit the availability GMOs to certain countries. The hazards that genetic modi? cation could pose to the environment are hotly contested Economics The economics of organic farming, a sub? eld of agricultural economics, encompasses the entire process and effects of organic farming in terms of human society, including social costs, opportunity costs, unintended consequences, information asymmetries, and economies of scale.Although the scope of economics is broad, agricultural economics tends to focus on maximizing yields and ef? ciency at the farm level. Economics takes an anthropocentric approach to the value of the natural world: biodiversity, for example, is considered bene? cial only to the extent that it is valued by people and increases pro? ts. Some entities such as the European Union subsi dize organic farming, in large part because these countries want to account for the externalities of reduced water use, reduced water contamination, reduced soil erosion, reduced carbon emissions, increased biodiversity, and assorted other bene? s that result from organic farming. Traditional organic farming is labor and knowledge-intensive whereas conventional farming is capital-intensive, requiring more energy and manufactured inputs. Organic farmers in California have cited marketing as their greatest obstacle. G r o u p V I! Organic Farming 4 Geographic producer distribution The markets for organic products are strongest in North America and Europe, which as of 2001 are estimated to have $6 and $8 billion respectively of the $20 billion global market (Lotter 2003:6).As of 2007 Australasia has 39% of the total organic farmland, including Australia's 1,180,000 hectares (2,900,000 acres) but 97 percent of this land is sprawling rangeland (2007:35). US sales are 20x as much. (2003). Europe farms 23 percent of global organic farmland (6. 9 million hectares), followed by Latin America with 19 percent (5. 8 million hectares). Asia has 9. 5 percent while North America has 7. 2 percent. Africa has 3 percent. Besides Australia, the countries with the most organic farmland are Argentina (3. 1 million hectares), China (2. 3 million hectares), and the United States (1. million hectares). Much of Argentina's organic farmland is pasture, like that of Australia (2007). Italy, Spain, Germany, Brazil (the world's largest agricultural exporter), Uruguay, and the UK follow the United States in the amount of organic land (2007). Growth Organic farmland by world region (2000-2008) As of 2001, the estimated market value of certi? ed organic products was estimated to be $20 billion. By 2002 this was $23 billion and by 2007 more than $46 billion. In recent years both Europe (2007: 7. 8 million hectares, European Union: 7. 2 million hectares) and North America (2007: 2. million hec tares) have experienced strong growth in organic farmland. In the EU it grew by 21% in the period 2005 to 2008. However, this growth has occurred under different conditions. While the European Union has shifted agricultural subsidies to organic farmers due to perceived environmental bene? ts, the United States has not, continuing to subsidize some but not all traditional commercial crops, such as corn and sugar. As a result of this policy difference, as of 2008 4. 1% G r o u p V I! Organic Farming 5 percent of European Union farmland was organically managed compared to the 0. 6 percent in the U. S.IFOAM's most recent edition of The World of Organic Agriculture: Statistics and Emerging Trends 2009 lists the countries which had the most hectares in 2007. The country with the most organic land is Australia with more than 12 million hectares, followed by Argentina, Brazil and the US. In total 32. 2 million hectares were under organic management in 2007. For 1999 11 million hectares of o rganically managed land are reported. As organic farming becomes a major commercial force in agriculture, it is likely to gain increasing impact on national agricultural policies and confront some of the scaling challenges faced by conventional agriculture.Productivity and pro? tability Various studies ? nd that versus conventional agriculture, organic crops yielded 91%, or 95-100%, along with 50% lower expenditure on fertilizer and energy, and 97% less pesticides, or 100% for corn and soybean, consuming less energy and zero pesticides. The results were attributed to lower yields in average and good years but higher yields during drought years. A 2007 study compiling research from 293 different comparisons into a single study to assess the overall ef? ciency of the two agricultural systems has concluded that †¦ rganic methods could produce enough food on a global per capita basis to sustain the current human population, and potentially an even larger population, without increas ing the agricultural land base. (from the abstract) Converted organic farms have lower pre-harvest yields than their conventional counterparts in developed countries (92%) but higher than their low-intensity counterparts in developing countries (132%). This is due to relatively lower adoption of fertilizers and pesticides in the developing world compared to the intensive farming of the developed world. G r o u p V I! Organic Farming Organic farms withstand severe weather conditions better than conventional farms, sometimes yielding 70-90% more than conventional farms during droughts. Organic farms are more pro? table in the drier states of the United States, likely due to their superior drought performance. Organic farms survive hurricane damage much better, retaining 20 to 40% more topsoil and smaller economic losses at highly signi? cant levels than their neighbors. Contrary to widespread belief, organic farming can build up soil organic matter better than conventional no-till far ming, which suggests long-term yield bene? s from organic farming. [56] An 18-year study of organic methods on nutrientdepleted soil, concluded that conventional methods were superior for soil fertility and yield in a cold-temperate climate, arguing that much of the bene? ts from organic farming are derived from imported materials which could not be regarded as â€Å"self-sustaining†. Pro? tability The decreased cost of synthetic fertilizer and pesticide inputs, along with the higher prices that consumers pay for organic produce, contribute to increased pro? ts. Organic farms have been consistently found to be as or more pro? table than conventional farms.Without the price premium, pro? tability is mixed. Organic production was more pro? table in Wisconsin, given price premiums. Sustainability (African case) In 2008 the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) and the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) stated that â€Å"organic agriculture can b e more conducive to food security in Africa than most conventional production systems, and that it is more likely to be sustainable in the long-term†[60] and that â€Å"yields had more than doubled where organic, or near-organic practices had been used† and that soil fertility and drought resistance improved.Employment impact Organic methods often require more labor than traditional farming, therefore it provides rural jobs. G r o u p V I! Organic Farming 7 Sales and marketing Most sales are concentrated in developed nations. These products are what economists call credence goods in that they rely on uncertain certi? cation. Interest in organic products dropped between 2006 and 2008, and 42% of Americans polled don't trust organic produce. 69% of Americans claim to occasionally buy organic products, down from 73% in 2005.One theory was that consumers were substituting â€Å"local† produce for â€Å"organic† produce. Distributors In the United States, 75% o f organic farms are smaller than 2. 5 hectares. In California 2% of the farms account for over half of sales. (Lotter 2003) Small farms join together in cooperatives such as Organic Valley, Inc. to market their goods more effectively. Most small cooperative distributors have merged or were acquired by large multinationals such as General Mills, Heinz, ConAgra, Kellogg, and others. In 1982 there were 28 consumer cooperative distributors, but as of 2007 only 3 remained.This consolidation has raised concerns among consumers and journalists of potential fraud and degradation in standards. Most sell their organic products through subsidiaries, under other labels. Organic foods also can be a niche in developing nations. It would provide more money and a better opportunity to compete internationally with the huge distributors. Organic prices are much more stable than conventional foods, and the small farms can still compete and have similar prices with the much larger farms that usually ta ke all of the pro? ts. Farmers' markets Price premiums are important for the pro? ability of small organic farmers. Farmers selling directly to consumers at farmers' markets have continued to achieve these higher returns. In the United States the number of farmers' markets tripled from 1,755 in 1994 to 5,274 in 2009 G r o u p V I! Organic Farming 8 G r o u p V I! Organic Farming 9 G r o u p V I! Organic Farming 10 G r o u p V I! Organic Farming 11 G r o u p V I! Organic Farming 12 G r o u p V I! Organic Farming 13 G r o u p V I! Organic Farming 14 G r o u p V I! Organic Farming 15 G r o u p V I! Organic Farming 16 G r o u p V I! Organic Farming 17SWOT ANALYSIS OF INDIAN ORGANIC AGRICULTURE (DOMESTIC AND EXPORT MARKET) Organic farming is one such part of agriculture sector which is unexploited yet. The projects strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats are discussed below: STRENGTHS: Export of organic produce from India is on the rise With organic farming, comes greater nutrit ional value and better taste There is increased awareness for healthy food in the present generation The realization of the harmful effects of pesticides and presence of their residues is surfacing The international and national certi? ation bodies in the country that are making it easier for the farmers to certify their produce as â€Å"organic† With increased demand, Central and State Governments are providing more land at cheaper rates for Organic Agriculture The Government is also providing higher subsidies Tax holidays are given a higher priority and are being given to the farmers who produce organics Organic produce being a premium product, pro? ratios will be towards the higher end due to the higher prices Sustainability over the long term There is an enhanced soil structure and water in? ltration Reduces non-renewable energy use by decreasing agrochemical needs (these require high quantities of fossil fuel to be produced by reducing carbon levels in the soil) OA promo tes biodiversity at all levels of production Duration of the edibility is longer G r o u p V I! Organic Farming 18 Drought resistive in nature A major strength is that the only technology OA needs is more of the SUNWEAKNESSES: Lack of awareness is the major downside of Organic Agriculture Not only among the customers but also among the farmers Most farmers have small holdings Quality consciousness is low amongst them Lack of marketing skills (mainly due to the disjoint between the agricultural sector and its domestic market not to mention the international market) The market for organics is not consumer-based, but supply oriented There is lower productivity due to the mono-cultured farming Fields may become bland due to the lack or inorganic additives Industrialized agriculture (if a conversion to organic agriculture takes place) exploits the land to an extent where the soil loses its fertility Sowing of seeds is time consuming since direct drilling of seeds (as done in the traditio nal form of agriculture) increases risk of soil being lost to wind and erosion There is no usage of genetically modi? ed seeds Another major drawback is the time required for the interaction and the observation between the farmer and his crop A requirement for OA is using skilled labor, which is hard to ? nd Finding the speci? c seeds are not only time consuming, but also more expensive Being more supply oriented, it requires a larger workforce to look after it G r o u p V I! Organic Farming 19 OPPORTUNITIES: With the ever growing society and economy in the country and in the world, the growth potential for Organic Agriculture is enormous As of 2001, the estimated market value of certi? ed organic products was estimated to be $20 billion.By 2002 this was $23 billion and by 2007 more than $46 billion and still showing a positive trend Along with the market value, the total farmland assigned for OA is also increasing massively The government is also starting to believe in this form of farming, hence giving its consent for extensive practice throughout the country The Indian Competence Centre of Organic Agriculture (ICCOA) is a promising initiative towards OA and serves as a platform for various activities related to its market development With the continuous growth of the sector, it will be providing a vast number of job opportunities OA helps in making people less reliant on generically modi? ed food and moves them towards healthier living The market for organic fertilizers and other organic materials is also growing and making it easier for the farmers to get hold of all the supplies they need G r o u p V I! Organic Farming 20 THREATS: Dishonesty among the suppliers of the raw materials required, i. e products offered with declarations such as â€Å"without pesticides†, â€Å"organic† etc.Unavailability of actual organic materials such as seeds, fertilizers and more High costs of being a premium product may prevent success in the market Hesitatio n for purchase by customers due to lack of awareness Land may be to contaminated or may not be convertible for organic agriculture Training unskilled labor may be tougher than expected Although governments are cooperating for organic farming, some state governments still believe this method is unproductive and may not give the required permissions and grants Lives of organic farmers are being made dif? cult by large food conglomerates as they want the consumers to focus only on their products Unpredictable Climatic Factors G r o u p V I! Organic Farming 21 G r o u p V I! Organic Farming 22 G r o u p V I! Organic Farming 23 G r o u p V I! 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Organic Farming 49 APPENDIX Excerpts from our interview with Mr.Samad Patel, Assistant Director, The Department of Agriculture, Gulbarga, Karnataka M: How is the Government helping in Organic Farming? S: Organic missions are being formed by the governement to promote organic farming amongst the farming community. 1: Organic Village: It is one of the schemes which promotes organic farming in a hundred acre area in a village per block on a pilot basis, thereby other farmers can learn how to do or ganic farming. 2: Giving subsidy to bio-degradable, vermi-compost units through Agricultural & Horticultural Department, Industry & Commerce. 3: Establishing organic farming research centers at agricultural universities.M: What are the fertilizers allowed in organic farming? S: 1: Farm Yard Manure 2: City Compost 3: Vermi-Compost 4: Enriched Compost 5: Green Manure M: What is the method of growing the plants in organic farming? S: 1: Sowing the seed with recommended dose of naturally occurring organic fertilizer G r o u p V I! Organic Farming 50 2: Irrigation of the sowed area 3: Seed gets germinated in 1-2 weeks 4: Process of Weeding 5: Harvesting, once the plant is ready 6: Ploughing the ? eld for the next crop M: What are the risks involved with Organic Farming? S: 1: In case of organic farms, there is low yield in the ? rst few years. 2: Pest and Disease management is dif? ult 3: Our soils are addicted to fertilizers and take time to revert back to organic standards 4: It is a v ery laborious process 5: Organic manure are to be produced by the farms, which is also a lengthy and expensive process 6: Seeds are not easily available 7: High prices may lead to low sales M: Is organic food more nutritious than conventional food? S: Yes, organic food has more nutritional value and also has better taste. Reason being that it is produced in its natural method. M: What does â€Å"certi? ed organic† mean? What is the certi? cation process? S: In western countries as well as in India, Organic produce is purchased on basis of the certi? cation by various agencies such as the ICCOA. After completion of the initial three years of production, the farmer must enroll for the certi? cation. The agency then monitors G r o u p V I!Organic Farming 51 the day-to-day cultivation activities and soil testing, the said agency will certify the farm as â€Å"organic†. M: Why does Organic cost more? S: It costs more, because the cost of cultivation is higher although the y ield obtained is low. The demand is higher when compared to the supply. Also, it is pesticide and fertilizer free and has a higher nutritional value, steering it towards being a healthier alternative. M: Is there a national standard for Organic Farming? S: No M: How do farmers fertilize crops and control pests, diseases and weeds? S: Organic farmers fertilize crops by using farmyard manure, vermi-compost, green manure etc. : They manage pests by manual collection of pests 2: Botanical extracts 3: Neem Oil 4: Neem Cake 5: By following integrated pest management methods Diseases are managed by: 1: Manual Roughing 2: By using Botanical extracts G r o u p V I! Organic Farming 52 3: Some plants have naturally occurring fungicidal properties Weeds are managed by: 1: Summer Ploughing 2: Intercultivation 3: Hand Weeding M: What subsidies does the government provide for organic farmers? S: 1: Vermi-compost per farmer – Rs. 6000 – Rs. 30000 (depending on the size of the farm) 2: Biogas Unit – Rs. 60000 Subsidy 3: City Compost: Distributed at 50% subsidy 4: Green Compost: Sold at 50% subsidy 5: Biodigester: Subsidy of Rs. 0000 (Biodigesters convert organic wastes into a nutrient rich liquid fertilizer and biogas, a renewable source of electrical and heat energy) Irrigation Subsidy Operations & Maintenance subsidy + 6 per cent interest on cumulative Irrigation investments Operations & Maintenance subsidy + 1 per cent interest on cumulative irrigation investments Power Subsidy G r o u p V I! Organic Farming 53 Difference between average cost of production per unit and the average revenue realized per unit multiplied by agricultural power consumption as estimated by APTRANSCO Difference between the cost to serve agriculture and average revenue realisation per unit multiplied by agricultural power consumption as estimated by APTRANSCODifference between the cost to serve agriculture and average revenue realised per unit multiplied by power consumption as estimated by AP Farmers Federation G r o u p V I! Organic Farming 54 ACKNOWLEDGMENT We would like to thank our Entrepreneurship Development faculty, Mrs. Radhika, for giving us the opportunity to create a project report such as this, which was a widely informative and knowledge building exercise. We also worked in tandem with Mr. Samad Patel, Assistant Director of The Department of Agriculture, Gulbarga, Karnataka, throughout our research. He guided us through our dif? culties and gave us essential information that we needed to complete our analysis. G r o u p V I! Organic Farming 55