The Sins of the Father Read this poem and develope it into a short Essay

The Sins of the Father Read this poem and develope it into a short story keeping the authors original style and tone - Essay Example Having encountered much detached in my life, it prompted be enlivened, therefore I needed to have this piece. It is a short story being made with sadness, and a cheerful bob back. The finish of this story has an exceptionally pleasant turn too. After my father’s heart condition being uncovered, the fragile circumstance begins to unfold at the start of the ballad. My father had two unfolded stories. Firstly, he shows some kindness condition and furthermore he has no truth about his spouses passing. He just figures out with the assistance of her sister who dependably let him know. It is expressed in the lyric that she was told "in broken sentences" as presented in sins of their fathers. This is the point at which reality divulges out. Josephine, his sister had a harsh time in letting her know sister of her spouses demise. This vivid portrayal makes somebody feel that this is the means by which it happened with his spouse. Perhaps it could have been the genuine instance of what truly happened or possibly the sonnet was having a great written work and one might be discover with that filling. After this, the sonnet goes out to depict a sudden upheaval of misery; it was then trailed by quiet as she slipped away to her room. His suddenness of his spouse passing was portrayed by the hush in the room since this had found her napping. It was easy to depict how a "huge euphoria held her", it likewise depicts the delight as practically being controlled. This is intended to depicting the mind-boggling feeling of joy that was clearing over her. For a minute, he chose to be himself and ricochets once more (in any event incidentally). It is clear that my father is self-control because of the courageous look in his eyes despite the suffering and pain he is undergoing. It all implied that he had won the long gone battles. Besides, the fights with

Kolcaba’s Theory of Comfort Essay Example for Free

Kolcaba’s Theory of Comfort Essay Within the context of theory illustrates a demanding yet creative shaping of plans, structured requirements, and prediction of a provisional, determined, and systematic sight of phenomena (Chinn, 2011). Nursing theory is a crucial function within the nursing practice. Theories afford nurses with the distinctive facets that are in encompassed within patient care and the nursing profession. Clarification of practice governance, and expectations are also integrated within contextual framework of nursing theory. It bestows various manners to acquire data, examine and study, and foresee the practice of nursing and the outcomes of patient care (Parker, 2010). Kolcaba’s middle range theory of comfort captivated my interest because my impression of comfort curtails that of positive patient outcomes. Comfort is not solitary to just physical ailments, but emotional and psychological measures in addition. Throughout my experiences and years as bedside registered nurse, I can attest that patient requests stem largely from the factor of being made comfortable. As stated above, this not only embraces physical comfort, but something unassuming as a comforting touch or positive attitude to render the positive outcome and a content patient. Absorbing how theory influences practice has been an impediment that I have recently overcame. I was unmindful that certain situations and decision making were reinforced through the use of theory. Examination of the importance of nursing theories, more in depth review of Kolcaba’s theory of comfort, and theory of comfort in nursing practice, education, and research will be reviewed further. Importance of Nursing Theories Separately from the governance of practice and foundation for the practice of nursing, theories furthermore propounds opportunities for nurses in the sense of practical application. Measurable changes and enrichment of the profession occur when nursing theories are incorporated into practice. The benefits of having a defined frame of theory in nursing produces superior patient care, heightened professional repute for nurses, progressed interaction among nurses, and direction for exploration of the practice and education. Theories also illustrate the quality of the nursing profession, and serves as a reservoir of knowledge with the examination of the essential requirements of patients and necessary interventions. In addition, specialized rationales are provided. Succeeding medical doctors orders are not exclusively to the context of nursing care. Nursing care incorporates not only a compassionate attitude but passion for care of patients. The caring component of nursing cannot be measured, rather dissected through theory within the clarification of what nurses do. Systemically this is all supported through abundant theories and theorist. The nursing profession emphasizes on holistic care which is defined as treatment of the whole person. Within this skill is the admittance of problems that are biomedical but also opportune clarification of the well-being and health of a human that introduces added indicators of disease that are non-visualized (Powers, 2011). Kolcaba’s Theory of Comfort The origination of Kolcaba’s theory of comfort stemmed was first established in the 1900’s. Founder, Katherine Kolcaba, concluded that for a positive patient outcome to accomplished, comfort is a crucial obligation. Katherine organized a representation for exploring, analyzing, and gauging the care of the patient. Historically, she believed that the product of the profession of nursing is comfort. According to Kolcaba (2010), comfort is achieved in a few diverse ways to include transcendence, relief, and ease. Transcendence represents the aptitude to overcome the lack of comfort sensed by patients through their awareness to cease. Patients are able to rise above their challenges. For example, a post-operative below the knee amputee patient may experience great physical pain from the surgery as well as psychological trauma from the intervention. Pushing forward to regain strength and independence would be an instance of transcendence. Relief constitutes any ordered analgesic medication that can be given to the patient or  non-pharmacologic interventions such as distraction or repositioning. This structure of comfort is experienced as relief. Anxiety reducing measures such as anxiolytics or inducing expression through conversation or other forms of communication can be facilitated. These actions can be constituted as placing the patient at ease. In my day to day professional practice experiences, I come across different situations where comfort may be the only measure to take in a particular patients care. Pharmacological therapy interventions are important for adequate relief, but non-pharmacological interventions are just as imperative. A simple caring touch and tone conditions the patient to an enhanced state. This particular theory affords nurses a better comprehension and obligation to comfort in the practice setting. Nurse are the forefront of healthcare. We have the ability to promptly identify the demands the needs of the patient. Kolcaba’s theory of comfort conforms into the nursing metaparadigm with relation to the three concepts presented: transcendence, relief, and ease. There is a clear consensus about the concepts which includes health, nursing, person, and environment of the metaparadigm. Kolcaba elaborated on the four various experience backgrounds that comfort is achieved. These include environmental, physical, social, and psychospiritual (Kolcaba, 2010). Theory of comfort in nursing practice, education, and research Kolcaba’s theory of comfort guides research in assorted ways. It challenges the nurse to examine the correlation among holistic interventions and different comfort measures. It also imposes a contention between comfort and â€Å"health seeking behaviors†. If the product is positive, than it enhances future endeavors and postulates additional motivators to provide comfort. Institutional outcomes are also examined (Koehn, 2000). References Chinn, P.L., Kramer, M.K. (2011). Integrated theory and knowledge of development in nursing (8th ed.). St. Louis, MO: Mosby/Elsevier Koehn, M. (2000) Alternative and complementary therapies for labor and birth: an application of Kolcaba’s theory of holistic comfort. Holistic Nursing Practice. 15(1):66-77 Kolcaba, K. (1992). Holistic comfort: Operationalizing the constructs as a nurse-sensitiveOutcome. Advances in Nursing Science, 15(1), 1-10, p. 6. Kolcaba, K. (1994) A theory of holistic comfort for nursing. Journal of Advanced Nursing 19: 1178-1184 Kolcaba, K. DiMarco, M.A. (2005) Comfort theory and its application to pediatric nursing. Pediatric Nursing, 31(3), 187-194 Parker, M.E., Smith, M.C. (2010), Nursing theories and nursing practice (3rd ed.) Philadelphia, P.A.: F.A. Davis Company Powers, B.A., Knapp, T.R. (2011). Dictionary of nursing theory and research (4th ed.). York: Springer Publisher Company

Epidurals :: essays research papers

If birth has been occurring since the beginning of time why do so many women act as if it’s something new? Nowadays, you have women asking for morphine, walking epidurals, and spinal epidurals. Why are so many women deciding that they can’t do a natural childbirth and what are the risks of not having one? Researchers have done studies on epidurals to determine if they cause women to get an increase in c-sections. They have also done studies to determine if getting an epidural to early will increase the chances of getting an epidural.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Why would you get an epidural when there are different ways to have a pain free pregnancy? This is the question that most women ask who have natural childbirths. Why get a shot in your back that may give you paralysis or cause back pains years after you have received the shot. Some doctors suggest going to Lamaze classes to reduce labor pains. You can also deliver your baby in water to ease some of the pain and to give the baby a good transition into the world. Plus epidurals can have a negative effect on the baby. They can lower the baby’s heart rate. Some other side effects for the mother are headaches, vomiting, and dystocia.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Why should I have a natural birth, â€Å"You don’t get a medal for going without drugs, you know.† Why go through the pain when you can get an injection that can take away just enough of the pain that you can still enjoy the labor? â€Å"There is no shame in asking for an epidural,† said Dr. Cynthia Wong of Northwestern Memorial Hospital and Northwestern University. In the United States more than 80% of pregnant women are now having c-sections. Epidurals give the mothers a chance to participate in the delivery and actually enjoy it. You can also get a walking epidural so that you can still push during the labor and cope with the pain.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  When should I get an epidural? Some doctors stated that you shouldn’t get an epidural until the cervix has dilated to 4 centimeters. New studies have claimed that you can have an epidural as soon as the pain gets unbearable. Many doctors still discourage getting an epidural before you are 4 centimeters dilated.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  After reading so many articles online from the Chicago Sun times and different clinics and hospitals I am still skeptical.

The Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill and Its Political Issues

For many oil companies, the Gulf represents some of their most profitable and promising properties. The White House is seemingly making an increased show of pressuring BP, but President Obama is facing political heat from within his own party for what some say has been a lackluster response to the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. Since the spill began, there has been some intense political debate regarding BP's responsibility, the government's response, and the extent of the environmental damage.Matthew Dowd, political consultant and chief pollster to former President George W. Bush, said the incident is likely to pose a huge political problem, similar to what President Bush faced after Hurricane Katrina. Administration officials also said the government will make changes to the way it allows offshore drilling, including new measures for the permitting process, new safety requirements for offshore rigs, and what was described as â€Å"strengthened† inspections for drilling ope rations.Having taking at least partial ownership of the crisis, the Obama administration is redoubling efforts to crack down on BP, sending a letter to CEO Tony Hayward complaining that his promises to provide complete and timely information on the spill â€Å"have fallen short in both their scope and effectiveness. BP has already agreed to set aside $20 billion over several years to pay for claims resulting from the oil spill. The company has paid the U. S. government $390 million for the cost of cleanup and received an additional bill for $128. million from the Obama administration. Obama and his senior White House staff, as well as Interior Secretary Ken Salazar, are working with BP's chief executive officer Tony Hayward on legislation that would raise the cap on liability for damage claims from those affected by the oil disaster from $75 million to $10 billion. However, WMR's federal and Gulf state sources are reporting the disaster has the real potential cost of at least $1 tr illion.Critics of the deal being worked out between Obama and Hayward point out that $10 billion is a mere drop in the bucket for a trillion dollar disaster but also note that BP, if its assets were nationalized, could fetch almost a trillion dollars for compensation purposes. There is talk in some government circles, including FEMA, of the need to nationalize BP in order to compensate those who will ultimately be affected by the worst oil disaster in the history of the world. The Obama administration also conspired with BP to fudge the extent of the oil leak, according to our federal and state sources.After the oil rig exploded and sank, the government stated that 42,000 gallons per day was gushing from the seabed chasm. Five days later, the federal government upped the leakage to 210,000 gallons a day. Obama aides stressed that BP would bear the cost of the spill, including the cost of plugging the well, cleaning shorelines and paying for government air and water tests. Separately , fishermen and others anticipating environmental damage filed class-action suits against the company. On a day when the stock market rose broadly and sharply, BP's stock price fell more than 8 percent to $52. 56 a share.In the minds of politicians and strategists, the oil has practically become a giant ink blot, a Rorschach test in which each of the opposing sides sees proof of â€Å"the larger narrative. † Florida Sen. Bill Nelson called on Obama to step back from his expanded offshore drilling plans. In a letter to the president, Nelson said he would file legislation to ban the Interior Department from following through on Obama's proposal for new seismic and drilling activity. He said the gulf spill â€Å"may be an environmental and economic disaster that wreaks havoc for commercial fishing and tourism along the Gulf of Mexico coast. Reference : http://www. nytimes. com/2010/06/30/us/politics/30polmemo. html? pagewanted=1 http://political. com/content/bp-oil-spill http:/ /abcnews. go. com/GMA/Politics/bp-oil-spill-political-headache-obama-democrats-slam/story? id=10746519 http://washingtonexaminer. com/politics/white-house/political-problems-oil-spill-may-stick-obama http://edition. cnn. com/2010/US/09/14/bp. justice. legal. action/index. html http://www. washingtonpost. com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/04/29/AR2010042902290. html

Primary and Secondary Education in the Netherlands and China Essay

In the Dutch education system one ought to have 12 years of education, starting at the primary school from the age of 4. After 8 years of primary education the children will do a CITO-test that determines to which level of secondary education they can attend. The Dutch secondary education consists of three levels, respectively: VMBO, HAVO and VWO. VMBO is a 4 year program that has a more practical focus than the remaining levels and it is subdivided into four groups: BBL, GL, KBL and TL. A VMBO degree gives access to the subsequent vocational programs (MBO), which are 2 to 4 years depending on the chosen courses. The intermediate level of the secondary education is the HAVO program of 5 years. After completion and obtaining the HAVO degree, one can choose to do either a higher vocational program (HBO) of 4 years or a MBO. However, recently the Dutch government has declared a HBO degree to be equivalent to a university’s bachelor degree and therefore it is more attractive to HAVO graduates to pursue a program in HBO. Finally, the highest level in the Dutch secondary education is VWO. After completion of this program of 6 years, one has access to all universities in the Netherlands. Unfortunately, some popular courses, such as medicine and psychology, do have a minimum grade as entry requirement and therefore students willing to pursue a career in those fields will have to face a strong competition. In the Chinese education system one has 9 years of compulsory education, starting at the primary school from an age of 6. However, before the primary school many Chinese children will go to a preschool to develop their linguistic skills. After 6 years of primary school, the children will do a national test that ultimately determines to which secondary school they can attend. In china there are no distinctive levels in the secondary school system, but reputation and ranking distinguish the schools. Therefore there are the so-called key-schools that only accept students with high grades or have rich parents. The first 3 years in the secondary education is the junior-stage, wherein one will have a central examination in the last year. The results of that examination will either allow the student to the senior-stage of the secondary education or direct the student to another school specialised in vocational education. The students who are able to enter the senior-stage will do another central exam in their last year. The results of that exam will subsequent give the student access to the universities in China. The popular universities usually have a good reputation and high national ranking, therefore only the students with the highest scores in their final exams can fulfil the entry requirements. In comparing the two education systems, one should have noticed that the Dutch primary education is extended over a longer period than the Chinese primary education, respectively 8 and 6 years. Moreover, the more complex Dutch secondary education system allows students to jump between levels. In other words, a hardworking student could start in VMBO-BBL in the first year and end up in VWO the next year. This switch between levels is not possible in the Chinese secondary education system and the central exams determine the future destiny of the students.

Admission Essays Writing

Admission Essays Writing Admission Essays Writing Admission Essays Writing: The Introduction Admission essay writing is obviously included in the list of admission and exams to the MBA. Some MBA schools even require several essays, the quantity of which depends on the school. The essence of the MBA essay topics is usually the same every year. They do not usually change much: The Most Widespread Questions We offer you several of the admission essay questions. There are questions about your contribution to education and about your versatility. What reasons influenced your professional choice? Please, tell us about your plans for the professional future. Where do you want to get your MBA degree to achieve the desired objective? Tell us about your career. Why do you need the MBA degree? How will develop your career after receiving MBA degree? Tell us more about, what is your plan to do in the near future and in the future after receiving your MBA degree. How will education at MBA School contribute to the achievement of your goals? Briefly tell us about your professional achievements. Tell us details about your plans for the future and what caused you to get MBA degree at the university? What are your plans after receiving MBA degree? These are the most typical essay topics of every business school. You must clearly and precisely explain, why you need an MBA degree, and be able to prove it, writing an essay. Essay questions are usually divided into several parts. Most of them concern your past. Did you succeed in business today? Tell us, what influences your future. How will develop your career after receiving your MBA degree? What are your future plans? Admission Essay Help: Responsibility And Trust Why should you order custom essay writingat our company? We have well-organized and well-structured staff. Each employer is responsible for his own work. For example, the essay writer writes, professional editor edits, manager controls the process of performance of the custom essay order. Unlike other companies, where one person performs admission essay service, all our employees are divided into groups of specialization: economics, law, science, humanitarian, technical etc, and thus the organizational structure of the company is created. Secondly, in order to take a systemic approach to take and control essay orders a service administration was established. And thirdly, most important, is that an organized group of editors are responsible for the quality of the custom essay order. We are a reliable, experienced company! Contact us to convince of the best results and 100% guaranteed success! Read also: Much Ado About Nothing Coursework Marketing Coursework Self Critique Essay MLA Format Bibliography Critical Essay Essays on Patriotism

Cosmos Episode 11 Viewing Worksheet

Cosmos Episode 11 Viewing Worksheet   Its movie day! Those are words almost all students like to hear when they enter their classrooms. Many times, these  movie or video days  are used as a reward for students. However, they can also be used to supplement a lesson or topic they are learning about in class.   There are many great science-related movies and videos available for teachers, but one that is entertaining and has great and accessible explanations of science is the Fox series   ​Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey hosted by Neil deGrasse Tyson. Below is a set of questions that can be copy and pasted into a worksheet for students to fill out as they view Cosmos episode 11. It can also be used as a quiz after the video is shown. Feel free to copy and it and tweak it as necessary.    Cosmos Episode 11 Worksheet  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Name:______________    Directions: Answer the questions as you watch episode 11 of Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey entitled, â€Å"The Immortals†.    1.   How does Neil deGrasse Tyson say our ancestors marked the passage of time?    2.   Where was civilization, including written language, born?    3.   Enheduanna is considered to be the first person to do what?    4.   What is the name of Enheduanna’s poem that an excerpt is read from?    5.   What is the name of the hero in the story of the great flood?    6.   How many years before the Bible was written was this account of the great flood?    7.   In what form does everyone carry the message of life in their bodies?    8.   What kind of molecules may have gotten together in the sunlit pools of water to form the first life?    9.   Where, underwater, could the first life have formed?    10.   How could the first life have â€Å"hitchhiked† to Earth?    11.   What was the name of the village near Alexandria, Egypt where the meteor hit in 1911?    12.   Where was the meteorite that hit Egypt originally from?    13.   How can meteorites be â€Å"interplanetary arks†?    14.   How could life on Earth have survived the large number of asteroid and meteor strikes early in its life history?    15.   How does Neil deGrasse Tyson say a dandelion is like an ark?    16.   How could life travel to very distant planets in outer space?    17.   What year did we first announce our presence to the galaxy?    18.   What was the name of the project that had radio waves bouncing off the Moon?    19.   How long does it take a radio wave sent from Earth to make it to the Moon’s surface?    20.   How many miles do Earth’s radio waves travel in one year?    21.   What year did we begin listening with radio telescopes for messages from life on other planets?    22.   Give one possible thing we could be doing wrong when listening for messages from life on other planets.    23.   What are two reasons Mesopotamia is now a wasteland instead of a thriving civilization?    24.   What did the people of Mesopotamia think caused the great drought in 2200 BC?    25.   What great civilization would be wiped out in Central America 3000 years later when another abrupt climate change happened?    26.   Where was the last supervolcano eruption and how long ago did it happen?    27.   What was the secret weapon the Europeans brought with them that helped defeat the American Natives?    28.   What is the main problem with our current economic systems from when they were made?    29.   What does Neil deGrasse Tyson say is a good measure of intelligence?    30.   What is the greatest hallmark of the human species?    31.   What state does Neil deGrasse Tyson compare giant elliptical galaxies to?    32.   When, on the new year of the Cosmic Calendar, does Neil deGrasse Tyson predict humans will learn to share our tiny planet?

Famous Quotes from Arthur Millers Death of a Salesman

Famous Quotes from Arthur Millers Death of a Salesman Willy Loman, the titular character in Death of a Salesman, spent his whole life pursuing what he thought was the American Dream. The play deals with themes of reality and illusion as a family struggles to define their dreams. It is one of Arthur Millers most famous plays and brought  him international acclaim. In 1949, Miller won the Pulitzer  Prize for Drama for this controversial play.    Quotes From Death of a Salesman Im the New England man. Im vital in New England. (Act 1)Hes liked, but hes not well liked. (Act 1)The man who makes an appearance in the business world, the man who creates personal interest, is the man who gets ahead. Be liked and you will never want. (Act 1)The man knew what he wanted and went out and got it! Walked into a jungle and comes out, the age of 21, and hes rich! (Act 1)I dont say hes a great man. Willie Loman never made a lot of money. His name was never in the paper. Hes not the finest character that ever lived. But hes a human being, and a terrible thing is happening to him. So attention must be paid. Hes not to be allowed to fall in his grave like an old dog. Attention, attention must finally be paid to such a person. (Act 1)A small man can be just as exhausted as a great man. (Act 1)Before its all over were gonna get a little place out in the country, and Ill raise some vegetables, a couple of chickens... (Act 2)You cant eat the orange and throw the peel away - a man is not a piece of fruit. Act 2 After all the highways, and the trains, and the appointments, and the years, you end up worth more dead than alive. (Act 2)I realized what a ridiculous lie my whole life has been. Act 2Ive got to get some seeds. Ive got to get some seeds, right away. Nothings planted. I dont have a thing in the ground. (Act 2)Biff: Pop! Im a dime a dozen, and so are you!Willy: I am not a dime a dozen! I am Willy Loman, and you are Biff Loman! Act 2Im gonna show you and everybody else that Willy Loman did not die in vain. He had a good dream. Its the only dream you can have - to come out No. 1 man. He fought it out here, and this is where Im gonna win it for him. (Act 2)

Social Issue about Abortion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Social Issue about Abortion - Essay Example c. Social effects of legalizing or illegalizing abortion This section will discuss how women are affected by making abortion either legal or illegal and cite a case study. It will also give the views of the group opposed to abortion and that supporting it. d. Abortion and the society. This section will discuss how the society views abortion as a practice, and the women who have undertaken it. It will also highlight the social responsibility of women with regards to unwanted pregnancies and abortion. e. Summary This part will give a summary of what is contained in the paper. The section will also suggest the considerations women need to take before opting to terminate a pregnancy. f. Works Cited This section will give an annotated bibliography of all the sources that were used and consulted in this research. Introduction Abortion is the termination of pregnancy by removal of a developing fetus or embryo from the womb before it reaches an age where it can survive independently (Singer 7). It may occur spontaneously or be induced, and results in loss of the embryo. When induced, abortion may be either illegal or legal and facilitated by methods like use of sharp tools, traditional means, physical trauma or use of herbs. Contemporary and safer methods are legal under certain circumstances and make use of surgical means and medication to induce abortion. Whether legal or not, abortion presents individuals with a social and moral dilemma, creating an emotional environment (Singer 11). It has easily become one of the most debated and controversial subjects in the United States, placing the law and ethics in conflict. In the United States, 40 percent of the citizens support abortion, while an equal percentage is against it, calling for its ban with certain exceptions. Those arguing that it is a choice opine that a pregnant woman has the authority to decide whether to terminate her pregnancy or carry it to birth without state interference. They hold the notion that the state has no right to tell anyone what to do with their pregnancies. On the other hand, a second group argues that from the moment a fetus or embryo is conceived, it is alive and the mother and state bear the moral obligation to protect and preserve it. They equate abortion to murder (Moore 43). This paper will research the social issues regarding abortion and how it is perceived by different groups of people in society, including the reasons they give for their stand. Literary materials will be used to obtain information. Abortion, Ethics and the Law The groups in support of abortion view it as the pregnant women’s right. In 1973, the law legalized abortion in all states and established it as a basic constitutional right. A woman may have an abortion at request in the first trimester without restriction, but the second trimester has several restrictions to protect her own health. However, arguments against it claim that the human race is based on the principle that under the law, all are created equally (Lee 28). They emphasize the fact that there are no subhuman beings. No single human’s rights may be held superior to other humans. In abortion, the right to life of the fetus is taken away from it by the same law that is supposed to protect it. Ethically, it is the slaughter of the innocent by granting pregnant women the freedom of choice in regards to their choice of the

Laboratory Medecine Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Laboratory Medecine - Essay Example Further, they stain slides and perform routine tests on the blood's tissues, fluids, and other components. Also, the work involves keeping records, cleaning and sterilizing equipments as well as the use of microscopes, computers and other lab technologies to gather data. This data is used to determine the absence or presence and/or the cause of diseases. The duties also involve handling delicate substances and experiments with utmost care, having an open mind to cater to various perspectives before arriving at a conclusion and various such aspects that have to do with serving human kind. Coming to the decision of entering the field of laboratory medicine was not an easy or clear cut call for me. The preliminary reason why I chose this field of the many career options lurking before me, was the fact that I needed to learn while helping people around me. I would like to understand how the very basic elements of our bodies work and how we can make a difference through research. It is my natural instinct to make a difference towards human kind and this kind of a role helps me learn about varied related fields like molecular virology and immunology to name a few. I feel that these reasons in part also contribute to the fact that I am well suited for this line of work. I feel I will be ready to take on any challenge and come out a more enriched person. Also, my educational background and exposure as well as basic interests lie in this field which makes me a suitable candidate for such a career choice. 3. What are your career goals My career goals in life are very simple. I would like to begin by studying in order to enter the field of laboratory medicine as it is a life long learning process. To begin with I would like to enter the medical laboratory technology program through an associate degree. From here, I would like to proceed towards becoming a student in the clinical laboratory technology program. As a medical laboratory technician, I would like to most of all work in a team and build a niche filled with competent people. As a career, I plan on using my skills in laboratory medicine for the overall betterment of mankind and towards making far reaching contributions to the field of medicine and healing in general. My career will be nothing without these

Economic Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

Economic - Essay Example This article was about the slight drop in China’s passenger vehicle sales in February. 2. Introduction Economics is very essential because it affects our life everyday. As a worker and a consumer, we will have to make economic decisions like how to spend our income. Sometimes, the cost of all the goods and services that we need and want to buy is greater than our income. So, we have to analyze the situation and choose among our choices carefully. We make decisions about learning, working, earning and spending. And we can make all these decisions more effectively if we have better understanding of economics. A good way to start understanding economics is by examining how markets work and who participates in them. All these market participants come into the marketplace because they specific goals to satisfy. They have to pursue their self-interests; buyers maximize their incomes while suppliers maximize their profits. These maximizing behaviors are the driving force of market ec onomies. But it is not just about the buyers and the sellers; governments can also affect the individual choices or influence the marketplace in terms of taxes. This paper will try to figure out how markets, specifically the auto markets, work and examine the factors that may affect the decisions of the participants in the auto market. Economic concepts like demand, supply, price and tax will be the primary tool that will be utilized in this paper. 3. Analysis A. Market The term market simply refers to a place or situation where an economic exchange occurs – where a buyer and a seller interact (Schiller 2006, 47). It exists wherever and whenever an exchange takes place. The exchange of money or resources with goods and services is the market transaction. And in every market transaction, there must a buyer and a seller. The buyer represents the demand side because they demand goods and services in exchange with their money while the seller represents the supply side as they wi ll supply goods and services in exchange for the money. In this paper, the market to be examined is the auto market in China and its participants – the buyers of cars and the sellers or the auto makers like General Motors Co, Ford, Toyota and Mazda and the government. B. Demand â€Å"The Chinese lunar new year also bolstered demand for big-ticket items, but the following months could be challenging for automakers† (usa.chinadaily.com 2011, 2). For us to understand such statement, we should have the basic idea of what demand is. Schiller (2006, 48) defined demand as the buyers' willingness and ability to buy specific quantities of a good at alternative prices in a given period of time. It is inversely related to price. This means that the quantity of a good demanded in a given period of time increases as its price falls. This relationship is also referred to as the Law of Demand. In one of our articles, there was a recorded increase in demand for cars between December a nd January brought about by the tax incentives imposed by the government. Tax like sales tax affects the quantity of goods and services that consumers may demand. As it is an addition to the actual price of a good, the higher the tax imposed on the good the lesser quantity of that good the consumers will demand. For this purpose, Table 1 shows the effect of 10 per cent tax imposed on different prices of car. Price of

Social Media Team with a strategic mandate for customer relationship Essay

Social Media Team with a strategic mandate for customer relationship management - Essay Example Media thus helps a business organization to gather consumer base. Media also has the influencing capacity to make a product good or bad. People in the society generally have a strong faith in the advertisements and the displays of various offerings on a media source. In the present scenario, with the advent of newer technologies like internet, the term social media has been expanded to few other aspects also. These aspects include the use of e-commerce related tools like customer relationship management, forums, social networks, and social news. Social media related applications consist of Google, YouTube, and Face book. Customer relationship management has been a major addition to the business related marketing segment (Safko & Et. Al., 2009). Social media, as a medium of communication, has a huge amount of option and also a wide spectrum. Social media in the modern era has gained popularity with the advent of internet. People in different parts of the world have been able to share ideas, know about their culture and society by using the internet. Internet has brought the people of the world much closer. Internet has provided business organizations a different option of promoting and popularizing their products. Social media have expanded in its horizon with the innovation of social networking. As per the study of Nielsen in 2009, social networking and also blogs written by different people have been the 4th most well-liked online activity in the United States (Bonde, 2009). Social media along with social networking have changed the method of communication and connection among people. These technologies have caught the imagination of people in all the age groups throughout the world. It has enabled business organizations to reach out to a wider audience with their offerings. Internet and email are the two sources mostly used to

Economic Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

Economic - Essay Example This article was about the slight drop in China’s passenger vehicle sales in February. 2. Introduction Economics is very essential because it affects our life everyday. As a worker and a consumer, we will have to make economic decisions like how to spend our income. Sometimes, the cost of all the goods and services that we need and want to buy is greater than our income. So, we have to analyze the situation and choose among our choices carefully. We make decisions about learning, working, earning and spending. And we can make all these decisions more effectively if we have better understanding of economics. A good way to start understanding economics is by examining how markets work and who participates in them. All these market participants come into the marketplace because they specific goals to satisfy. They have to pursue their self-interests; buyers maximize their incomes while suppliers maximize their profits. These maximizing behaviors are the driving force of market ec onomies. But it is not just about the buyers and the sellers; governments can also affect the individual choices or influence the marketplace in terms of taxes. This paper will try to figure out how markets, specifically the auto markets, work and examine the factors that may affect the decisions of the participants in the auto market. Economic concepts like demand, supply, price and tax will be the primary tool that will be utilized in this paper. 3. Analysis A. Market The term market simply refers to a place or situation where an economic exchange occurs – where a buyer and a seller interact (Schiller 2006, 47). It exists wherever and whenever an exchange takes place. The exchange of money or resources with goods and services is the market transaction. And in every market transaction, there must a buyer and a seller. The buyer represents the demand side because they demand goods and services in exchange with their money while the seller represents the supply side as they wi ll supply goods and services in exchange for the money. In this paper, the market to be examined is the auto market in China and its participants – the buyers of cars and the sellers or the auto makers like General Motors Co, Ford, Toyota and Mazda and the government. B. Demand â€Å"The Chinese lunar new year also bolstered demand for big-ticket items, but the following months could be challenging for automakers† (usa.chinadaily.com 2011, 2). For us to understand such statement, we should have the basic idea of what demand is. Schiller (2006, 48) defined demand as the buyers' willingness and ability to buy specific quantities of a good at alternative prices in a given period of time. It is inversely related to price. This means that the quantity of a good demanded in a given period of time increases as its price falls. This relationship is also referred to as the Law of Demand. In one of our articles, there was a recorded increase in demand for cars between December a nd January brought about by the tax incentives imposed by the government. Tax like sales tax affects the quantity of goods and services that consumers may demand. As it is an addition to the actual price of a good, the higher the tax imposed on the good the lesser quantity of that good the consumers will demand. For this purpose, Table 1 shows the effect of 10 per cent tax imposed on different prices of car. Price of

Describing concepts of Microbilogy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Describing concepts of Microbilogy - Essay Example Food fermentation is the anaerobic conversion of carbohydrates to alcohol using microbes such as Saccharomyces spp, Lactobacillus spp. It results in products variety that can be preserved for long. Fermentation products include cheese, alcoholic drinks, sauer kraut among others. In agriculture, microbiology has improved soil characteristics and increase plant productivity. Biofertilizers that contain living organisms such as Rhizobium, Azotobacter help in nitrogen fixation, solubilizing phosphorous and stimulating plant growth hormones. Manure from animal waste contains microbes that help in soil aeration. They are cost effective and reduce soil pollution through use of inorganic fertilizers. Food preparation involves thorough washing of fruits and vegetables and cooking of foods. This ensures any harmful microbes are killed. Examples are milk pastuerization and boiling of drinking water. Utensils, pots and surfaces in cooking areas should also be thoroughly cleaned. Proper waste disposal reduces environmental pollution. Degradable matter is breakdown by microbes to form manure. Sewage water is drained into septic tanks where it is processed before discharge into rivers and streams. Nondegradable waste products are burnt and others recycled. A student is able to learn microorganism identification using the various characteristics of microbes. They are able to use differential, selective or enrichment media to grow microorganisms, gram staining and microscopy to identify cell structures, components and other morphological characteristics. Understand current and emerging topics in microbiology in relation to healthcare. Advances in microbiology diagnostic techniques have evolved. Research is ongoing on issues of drug resistance. Current research studies on use of microorganisms as gene vectors in disease treatment. Microorganisms are used for production of cellulose,

The Slave Trade in Africa Essay Example for Free

The Slave Trade in Africa Essay Eric Williams thesis entitled Capitalism and slavery is not a study on the nature of the slave trade, but rather a study of the role of slavery in the English economy. In his thesis Williams proposes the idea that capitalism is a result of the Atlantic slave trade. Williams defines capitalism as when someone can use their resources to make a profit without that person actually being present. The Atlantic Slave Trade was then an example of capitalism. English investors gave funds to stock companies, such as the Dutch East Indian Company, who wound use those funds to purchase ships and trading goods. The stock companies would then hire a crew and send the ships to Africa where they would trade their goods for African Slaves. The ships would then transport the slaves to the Americas where they would sell their human cargo and purchase American goods. The ships could then return to England and sell their American goods for capital, then splitting the profit amongst the investors. In his thesis Williams asserts that these stock companies were the first examples of capitalism and that the capitalists systems which are present in the modern world are direct results of the Atlantic Slave Trade. It appears that Williams is correct in his thesis. While elements of capitalism, such as buying and selling of goods, were present prior to the slave trade, this was the first point in history when private investors combined their capital in the form of a company whose sole purpose was to increase that capital. At no point did the stock companies manufacture any new product instead these companies served only to buy and sell commodities in such a way as to increase the capital of their investors. Ancient Africa was characterized by strong states. Unlike Europe African states were well organized before the birth of Christ. However as European states became stronger African states weakened. These strong ancient African states such as, Egypt, Ethiopia, Kush and Benin, believed that the purpose of the state was to serve the people. This ideology made it possible for African states to become strong because since the state served the people the people were willing to participate in defending the state and submit to taxation in order to pro vide for the needs of the state which then benefited the individual. However African states began to weaken when the Arab came into Africa. In a quest to seek the destruction of Christianity in Europe the Arabs tore through the Maghreb (five north African countries). The Arabs not only took over the state, but also the culture, as a new Arab population settled, and pushed the original African population below the Sahara. The Arab presence in Africa soon led to a weakening of the African State. In 1350 the strong African state of Songhai began to have border disputes with the Arab led state Morroco. Songhai stated that the purpose of the African state was to serve the people to which Morroco replied that the purpose of the state was to serve Islam. Since the ruler of Morroco was a descendant of Mohammed that meant that it was Songhais responsibility to support the Morrocan state rather than the interests of its own people. Songhai was destroyed by Morroco in 1591, and after Songhais destruction any new states that emerged in this area put the interests of outsiders above the welfare of their own people. The area that had once been the strong empire of Songhai became the core of the slave trade in Africa. When Europeans came into Africa to trade they dealt with these weakened African states. They provided the states arms and the states allowed Europeans to enslave their citizens. African states allied with European nations at the expense of their own people; showing that the purpose of the African state had changed from serving its citizens to serving the interests of outsiders because the same sort of brutality used by Morroco in its destruction of Songhai was used by the Europeans in gunboat diplomacy. The African state would submit to foreign interests because it was no longer strong enough to fight back. African states could not compete against European technology so the rulers of these states signed agreements that allowed their people to be captured, enslaved and taken across the Atlantic. The weakening of the African state caused a change in the purpose of the State. The purpose of the state became providing for the needs and wants of foreigners; this is why the slave trade was possible in Africa. Not only did the African states allow its people to be enslaved, but the states participated in the enslavement of its own people in order to receive the benefits of trade with the Europeans.

Edinburghs Urban Structure

Edinburghs Urban Structure Edinburgh and its urban structure: About 8% of Scotland’s population resides in its capital city Edinburgh. In the recent years, Edinburgh has been seen to be a flourishing city with a perky labor and housing markets and a stable economic growth.[1] For working adults, it has an employment rate that is near the UK average of 74.7%.[2] The financial sector of Edinburgh is exceedingly developed and this has proven to be beneficial to its economy. Another factor that has given benefit to its economy is the fact that the government administration is concentrated in the city and recently the Scottish Parliament was established there. Moreover the Edinburgh Festival, in particular, attracts tourists from around the world. Despite these facts, there are some areas in the city which are poverty stricken that are condensed in council housing estates. However, comparatively this is on a small scale. An additional downside is that manual workers are facing declining opportunities. Important Statistics: The population of Edinburgh rose considerably by 7.1% to 444,624 between 1991 till 2001 and this growth rate is more than any other city in Scotland. It has a high proportion of young adults who are working (47%) and a low percentage of children that are dependent (16%).In 1991 a survey was conducted regarding the population which showed that 97.6% of the population was White which later decreased to 95.9%. Before this census it was noted that one sixth of households moved in Edinburgh and more than half of the population lived in flats or tenements. Out of three only one household had a single adult. In 2001 the economic activity rate was 67% and Glasgow was at 60% while then unemployment was at 4.3%. The jobs in Edinburgh are seen to move away from the manufacturing sector and in 2001 only 7.5% of the workforce was in the manufacturing sector. The professionals form about more than one sixth of the total working population and it was observed that about 12% of the working age popul ation was involved in full time studies. 12.3% of the people have no central heating in the houses and about 40% do not possess a car. The health problem is great with 39.8% informing that they have a long term illness. However this is still lower than Scotland and Lothian as a whole at 57.4% and 49.3% respectively[3] The Council’s Housing Needs Assessment 2000 showed that there is an overall similarity between Edinburgh and Scotland. The housing market has divided the population between areas. Pensioners are concentrated in the South West, North West and South East areas whereas lone parent households are mostly in the South East area only. The Central area houses a high proportion of single adult households (50%) and 54% of the population is between the age group 18 to 34 years. Younger adults are found to be in the Outer Central where 38% belongs to the age group of 18 to 34 years. The Waterfront area has a similar high proportion of people that belong to this age group. The city average of non-White people in Central area is at 6.1% as compared to 3.3%[4] The Edinburgh Economy Population According to the population estimate that has been conducted recently (2002), it is known that Edinburgh’s population has reached 448,000 and this has put Edinburgh up at second in the largest and fastest growing cities of Scotland. This increase of population was a rise by 3% since 1991 i.e. there was an increase of 12,000 residents in contrast to the total decline in the population of Scotland by 0.4%. This increase in growth in the population of Edinburgh was part of a growth trend there. Recent statistics (2003) show that 311,000 people are employed in different organizations and businesses. This figure represents the 14% of all employment in Scotland. Knowing the fact that Edinburgh accounts for a minor part of the whole population of Scotland at 8%, the city provides employment to people beyond its boundaries. Employment rate has been increasing in Edinburgh and especially in areas like Midlothian and West Lothian. Although the number of jobs increased in Midlothian and West Lothian was greater than in Edinburgh as a whole, the jobs at Edinburgh increased approximately by 30,000. In the last 20 years, Edinburgh has emerged out to become one of the most flourishing cities in the United Kingdom. It was observed in 2001 that the GDP in Edinburgh was over a third greater than the GDP of entire Scotland[5] . The same holds true for the average gross weekly earnings of employees working full-time. That figure is greater for the people in Edinburgh as compared to Scotland as a whole. According to an analysis made in April 2002, this was 112.6% of the Scottish rate thus being at  £480.60. Unemployment rates are low in Edinburgh being at 2.2% in 2002 (6,737 people), which was the lowest level and was greatly lower that the Scottish average[6]. Thus Edinburgh has high employment rates as compared to Scotland as a whole and in 2001 it was observed that the service sector gave most of the employment opportunities at 87.6% [7] of all the jobs in Edinburgh. Table 1 explains in detail the employment structure in the city as well as the region by the Industrial sector. Finance and business service sectors are of vital importance to local employment and this is seen to be evident as it has been acting like pillars of strength of the economy of the city and have been potentially growing within the national economy. Table 1 Employment structure, 2003 Edinburgh City Region Scotland Primary Production and construction 8% 12% 16% Distribution, hotels catering 22% 23% 24% Transport and communications 4% 5% 5% Business and finance 343% 28% 18% Public and other services 32% 32% 35% All Sectors 100% 100% 100% Employee jobs (000s) 312 433 2,299 Source: Annual Business Inquiry  ©crown copyright (NOMIS) The increase in the population of Edinburgh is not due to excess birthrates, although the number of births has been known to exceed the death rate, but the increase is mainly because of people migrating to the city. This shows the strength of the economy of the city. The study of the demographic trends in the housing market in Edinburgh is of significant importance. West Lothian and Midlothian have undergone a population increase while East Lothian and West Lothian have also been exposed to a high in-migration. Thus the population of the entire city has been increasing due to both the factors i.e. natural increase and in-migration. Recently conducted estimates (mid-2002) regarding the number of households in the city of Edinburgh show that there are 207,080 households. The period from 1991 till 2002 has witnessed and increase in the number of households that is three times greater than the actual increase in the population of Edinburgh. This holds to evidence as to the social and eco nomic changes that have caused in the formation of smaller households. Projected Population and Household Change, 2002-2016 Analysts have come to a conclusion that these trends would continue in the future. It is estimated that the population of Edinburgh will increase at a rate of 0.4% per year i.e. an increase of 54,700 residents. On the other hand, Scotland as a whole would experience a decline by 0.1% per annum. There are only 11 local authorities in Scotland that are expected an increase in population and Edinburgh is one of them. It is also estimated that the period stretching till 2016 will witness an increase in individual households in Edinburgh would be greater as compared to the population as a whole. Table 2 Population change, 1991-2002 1991 2002 change %change City of Edinburgh 436,320 448,080 11,760 3% East Lothian 84,440 90,750 6,310 7% Midlothian 79,530 80,500 970 1% West Lothian 145,040 159,960 14,920 10% City Region 745,330 779,290 33,960 5% Scotland 5,083,330 5,054,800 -28,530 -1% Source: GROS mid year estimates Table 3 Employment change by industry, 1998-2003 Edinburgh City Region Scotland Production and construction -33% -29% -22% Distribution, hotels catering 22% 27% 7% Transport and communications -7% 5% 7% Business and finance 34% 32% 24% Public and other services 8% 14% 19% All Sectors 11% 12% 6% Source: Annual business inquiry  ©crown copyright (NOMIS) Employment forecasts, 2003-2007 In Table 3 the rate of change in employment by sector in Edinburgh and its region is compared to Scotland. Finance and business services have been the fastest growing sector at the national level. This sector has been growing at a higher rate as compared to other areas in Scotland. The pattern as observed reflects the degree to which Edinburgh is a center for high level functions. The employment rate has increased greatly in the headquarters as compared to the branches spread out. Due to an increase in tourism spending and leisure, Edinburgh has greatly benefited from the increase in employments in Catering, Hotels and Distribution. However, in the ‘employment shedding’ manufacturing sectors, the city has relatively few jobs. There is an expected rise in the employment in Edinburgh by 4% over a period stretching from 2003 to 2007. This shows an increase of 13,000 jobs. Similar steady rates are expected in West Lothian and Midlothian. The pattern of growth however is expe cted to change from the recent past and the increase would mainly be in Distribution, Hotels, Catering and public services. Employment in business services and finance is forecasted to grow but at a relatively lower rate than what was observed in the past. Table 4 gives the data on average earning in Edinburgh. The data is recorded in terms of place of residence as well as place of work of the people in the survey. In 2003 the average earning of people in the city region was  £453 per week i.e.  £23,500 approximately in a year. Comparing this to Scotland, it was found that the average earning of the people in the city region was slightly greater. People who lived in Edinburgh city earned  £481 per week. This was at an increase of about 10% to the Scottish average. An important point to note is that these earnings are given at an average and ground realities show a great variation in the earnings of the residents of Edinburgh. For example, in 2003 it was observed that 10% of all the residents of Edinburgh earned  £220 or less per week as compared to the top 10% who earned more than  £828 per week. People whose workplaces were within Edinburgh were rated to be the second highest average earning in all of Scotland in 2003. These figures make it an obvious point to note that the higher paid jobs were filled in by the people who lived in Edinburgh while the lower ones were occupied by those outside the city commuting to work. The Census data exhibit that (in 2001) the net inflow of people commuting to work in Edinburgh from outside was around 60,000. Table 4 Average gross weekly earnings, 2003  £/week % of Scotland Work-basedresidence-based Work-based residence-based Edinburgh  £467  £481 107% 110% City Region  £454  £453 104% 104% Scotland  £437  £437 100% 100% Source: New Earnings Survey Unemployment rates in Edinburgh are lower as compared to the Scottish average. In 2004 it was recorded that the proportion of the population that were of the working age and were receiving Jobseeker’s Allowance was 2.2% as compared to the Scottish average of 2.7%. If a wider measure is adopted to study this deeply then striking differences are noted. Table 5 exhibits that the proportion of the working age population dependant or receiving state benefits of Edinburgh was much lower as compared to the rest of Scotland. However it is also interesting to note that the proportion of working age population in employment in Edinburgh was lower than the rest of Scotland. This difference is because of the large female population that are of working age but are neither working not claiming any benefits from the state. Table 5 Economic Activity and Benefits Edinburgh Scotland % of working age population unemployed, on Compulsory New Deal or 9.8 13.8 in receipt of incapacity/Disablement Benefits (2002) % of adults and children living in households in receipt of key income 11.8 15.0 benefits/credits (2002) % of working age adults in employment (2003) 66.7 76.6 Source: Scottish Neighbourhood Statistics Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation, 2004 An inclusive set of indicators of deprivation in small areas throughout Scotland is brought together in the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation 2004 (SIMD04). Various dimensions of factors such as economic and social deprivation, including incomes, health, housing, accessibility, employment and health are included in the index. Information for each data zone in Scotland is collected and each area according to its level of deprivation is ranked. It is seen that Edinburgh has areas of high deprivation however the proportion of the population in these areas is much lower than the Scottish average. 20% of Edinburgh’s population would be living in data zones which would rank in the most deprived 20% in Scotland if Edinburgh had been under similar conditions as the rest of Scotland. As this is not so, only 13% of Edinburgh’s population is found to live in these areas that fall in the most deprived 20% in Scotland. Summary Edinburgh has been experiencing a growth in its population due to the growth in its economic sector. It is also seen that the incomes in Edinburgh are higher as compared to the rest of Scotland. The unemployment rate is lower and the percentage of people dependant on benefits from the state is also low in this city. This city has people traveling into it for work from other regions and thus can be considered as an employment center. Although the business and finance sectors would grow in the future, their rate of growth would be less. However increasing growth will be observed in distribution, hotels and catering due to increased tourism. The economy as a whole seems to be stable and will in the future generate more employment opportunities. Housing Supply and Demand Edinburgh’s housing system differs from the rest of Scotland and has some distinctive features to it. Private rending and owner occupation is high as compared to the Scottish average with a small rented sector. There are a higher proportion of flats as compared to the proportion of houses which is relatively low. Housing issues are complex in Edinburgh due to the fact that while the city is prosperous, there are areas of deprivation. Limited affordable housing with a high demand in housing, coupled with deprivation give rise to complex housing issues. Owner occupation It is seen that 69% of the homes are occupied by the owners out of which 40% are bought with a mortgage and 27% are owned outright. Moreover it is observed that owner occupation as a whole and houses that are owned outright are higher as compared to Scotland. The reason for the high percentage of outright ownership would be accounted for the in-migration of relatively wealthy people as compared to the in-migration in other cities of Scotland. Moreover the presence of people earning high income who would prefer not to purchase through mortgage could also account for this fact. Regardless of the existence of flats and small houses, the prices are high as compared to the rest of Scotland. The average price of a house in Edinburgh in the first half of 2004 was  £165,000. At  £354,000 were the prices for newly built properties in the Rural West part of Edinburgh. This was seen to be the highest mean price. Health needs It is important to use a variety of information to study and analyze the social issues and health needs in a city. High level ‘administrative’ data like that of the Census shows the operation of city partners within. Differences found in health amongst the various groups in a society are known as health inequalities. There are many inequalities in Scotland and JHIP aims to address these issues and eliminate inequalities which are caused by reasons that â€Å"are complex and interacting†[8]. Some of these factors include the physical factors like exposure to poor housing, socio-economic factors, behavioral factors (smoking or drinking) and psychological factors which would include exposure to adverse life events. These aspects are expressed clearly in the data on health provided in the Vision For Edinburgh monitoring reports, ‘Measuring Edinburgh’s Performance’ July 2002 and 2003[9]. One such factor is the low birth weight which is related to ma ny immediate and long-term health risks. In Edinburgh’s community planning process, this is regarded as the key health indicator. This factor is prevalent in areas of social disadvantages rather than in Edinburgh as a whole. In a period ranging from 1991 to 2000, it was seen that the number of teenage pregnancies, who gave birth to a child rather than aborting it, has been four times greater in the Social Inclusion Partnership (SIP) areas than in Edinburgh as a whole. Socio-economic factors, life circumstances, genetic factors, lifestyles and factors of place are some of the important factors which affect the death rate. In the same period from 1991 to 2000 the death rate for under 65’s in the SIP areas was higher as compared to the city as a whole. This gap widened more in the period ranging from 1997 to 2000. In 2001 the figures saw a reversal in the trend as there was a reduction in the death rate for under 65’s in SIP areas but the gap still exists. Self-harm and self-poisoning have also been at a high and in the period of 1991 to 2000, this occurred at a higher rate in the SIP areas as compared to Edinburgh as a whole. It should be noted that the occurrence of such events and the gap between the SIP areas and Edinburgh as a whole has been decreasing. The credit for this would be given to the establishment of the assessment unit at the Royal Infirmary which dedicates itself to reduce the number of repeat incidents of self-harm. I t should also be noted that health inequality is not solely linked to the existence of social disadvantage and poverty and it was seen that the flatted accommodation in Edinburgh adversely affected those with reduced mobility.[10] Homelessness applications in Scotland come from all the cities and Edinburgh ranks second in it. However this is about less than a third of the presentations recorded in Glasgow (Scottish Executive, 1999). Voluntary agencies are providing a range of services including hostels, and other facilities for the young people who are homeless and comparatively this is less extensive than the one present in Glasgow and the largest hostel in Edinburgh is Council with 70 bed spaces. The RSI has funded a ‘single access point’ for the homeless people but there is still a shortfall in hostel accommodation, emergency accommodation in particular. A change will come about though after the projects of RSI become functional fully. A ‘Homelessness Liaison Officer’ has been appointed by Lothian and Borders Police for Edinburgh. There was street culture in Edinburgh to a certain extent as well. However, homelessness services in Edinburgh have been enhanced significantly and impro vements are expected in the future. Conclusion: Edinburgh is a thoroughly urban city with all the usual urban problems including unemployment, homelessness and health inequalities. However concrete steps have been taken to counter these problems especially the problem of homelessness that has been afflicting the city’s economic resources. Serious steps need to be taken on city as well as regional level to introduce better housing facilities and to absorb more jobless people into city’s various business sectors. References Bailey, N., Turok, I. and Docherty, I. (1999) Edinburgh and Glasgow: Contrasts in Competitiveness and Cohesion. Glasgow: Department of Urban Studies, University of Glasgow Office for National Statistics (1999) Labour Force Survey Quarterly Supplement, November 1999. London: Office for National Statistics. A. OSullivan. (2002) Urban Economics. McGraw-Hill UK. Footnotes [1] Bailey et al, 1999 [2] ONS, 1999 [3] www.edinburgh.gov.uk -census 2001 information [4] Housing Needs Assessment 2000, The City of Edinburgh Council and Scottish Homes, 2002. [5] Source Capital Review, issue 1 summer 2002 [6] Source Capital Review, issue 1 summer 2002 [7] Capital Review, issue 1 summer 2002. [8] McIntyre in â€Å"Social Justice – a Scotland Where Everyone Matters. Annual Report 2001†: Scottish Executive 2001 [9] â€Å"Measuring Edinburgh’s Performance†: Edinburgh Partnership, 2002 and 2003 [10] Figures reported in CEC Housing Needs Assessment 2000.

The Madonnas of Echo Park by Brando Skyhorse :: Immigration, Immigrants

â€Å"Remember, remember always, that all of us, and you and I especially, are descended from immigrants and revolutionists.† -- President Franklin D. Roosevelt Throughout the course of my life, I have always encountered individuals wanting to better their economic situation especially those within my community. Those who come from impoverished communities in other countries risk their lives and lifetime savings to come to the United States hoping that one day they will regain everything that they lost. Their only motivation to come to this country is to be able to provide their family with basic necessities and in order to do this, they must work two or more jobs that pay at minimum wage and are taken for granted. However, many individuals do not see this side of the story and categorize immigrants as unambitious people. In order to be completely aware of what immigrants truly go through and how they succeed in life, one must be willing to place themselves in their shoes and hear his/her story. We must acknowledge that the hands of these people work in back breaking jobs in order to sustain their families. While some Americans may be agains t immigrants arriving to the United States in search of a better life and the American Dream, in The Madonnas of Echo Park, Brando Skyhorse further reveals that immigrants are exploited as cheap labor, and although they contribute greatly to the everyday function of American industry, they are quite invisible. Mexican immigrants in the United States are willing to work hard and long hours throughout the day regardless of the amount of sleep or rest they may get. Conversely, this is not how Efren Mendoza, a public city bus driver, views Mexicans and he believes they are not motivated to achieve things in life. One would assume that he would understand how difficult it is for immigrants to assimilate in a new foreign country without knowing anyone or anything here, but he is not on their side and it is somewhat hypocritical of him because he himself is Mexican. It is as though Efren sees his own people as invisible individuals because he does not acknowledge all their hard work and sacrifices they may have gone through in order to arrive in the United States. He further proves his insincerity when he mentions that the â€Å"new wetbacks [are] picky about what jobs they’ll do [and that they] half-ass [the] work† that they are given to do (77).

Drama Essay Essay

â€Å"Drama and theatre in their content and style reflect the society from which they spring† – To what extent is this true of contemporary Australian theatre practice? Theatre is a direct reflection of life and society. Any script is written, including their themes and genre, in the attempt to draw on and display our surrounding world to ultimately impact audiences. Our unit of drama including Matt Cameron’s Ruby Moon and Jane Harrison’s Stolen does exactly this, but more specifically reflects on contemporary Australian culture and events. This combined with our experiential learning proved that theatre indeed is a mirror to society. Ruby Moon’s depiction of suburbia and its â€Å"dark underbelly that lurks beneath an idyllic, picture-perfect veneer† serves as the main content of the play and a powerful comment on Australian society. Growing up in suburban Melbourne, playwright Matt Cameron reflects his childhood experiences through contemporary theatre. This involves an abandonment of genre classification through a deliberate pastiche of styles, creating dramatic tension and stimulating audience. Non-realism, the fractured fairy tale, absurdism, horror, gothic, crime, humour, vaudeville and surrealism all combine to create ambiguity and therefore unpredictable tension. In addition, Ruby Moon is typically non-realist and non-traditional, and this ambiguity is evident in the unresolved ending of Ruby’s existence; â€Å"was there a child, Ray?†¦or are we just having the same nightmare?† Leaving the audience with more questions than answers opts out of the traditional resolution and rather mirrors the confronting complexities of contemporary Australian society, we are not the â€Å"lucky† or â€Å"perfect† country, rather as Cameron quotes; â€Å"a picture-perfect veneer†, a paradox that the seemingly suburban proximity that defines Australia does not equal â€Å"intimacy, fraternity, community†. This is especially evident through experiential learning, the pair undertaking the final scenes tended towards Realism and believable Stanislavsky styled acting, which for audiences, conflicted against Cameron’s covert intent of ambiguity. However, the opening scenes  performed in our class took the opposite approach; Brechtian in style, especially in the â€Å"stripped back† manner of set; two chairs were the only props used, and alienation of audience through lighting and variation in pace and volume. Supporting this was the mixture of styles between heightened realism and absurdism contrasted within character – Ray was played as the ‘straight man’, realist and serious in nature, responding and contrasting to Dulcie’s eccentric, loud and absurdist representation. This only heightens her unpredictability, presenting the pastiche of genre and style through character and the ambiguity beneath the suburban faà §ade. Lighting again featured as a major theatre technique in my own performance of Ruby Moon. To consolidate for the harsh white lights of our theatre space, we made the choice to turn off ‘house lights’; using darkness and a warm-yellow glow lamp. This provided a non-realist, eerie and uneasy atmosphere, with up-lighting on our faces; a stereotypical â€Å"horror† visual to highlight the multi-facets of our character’s personas and emphasis on the sinister undertones in the surrounding darkness. The intimidating atmosphere heightened the intimacy of the actor-audience relationship as viewers themselves were enveloped in darkness and focus drawn to the only light source on stage. This also presented Brecht’s alienation technique through uncertainty and discomfort instilled into the perception of the fear of the unknown within darkness. This certainly juxtaposes the idyllic and conventional nature of suburbia; lights always on inside; inviting and nothing to hide, reflecting Cameron’s ideals of theatre and Australian society; â€Å"that is the ingenious deceit of suburbia†¦it is as much about the surrounding darkness as it is about the light.† Stolen, whilst still in the realm of contemporary Australian theatre and non-realism, differs in its theatrical content, style and reflection of society. The theatre piece reflects a vital part in both our past and present Australian society; that of the Stolen Generation, dramatising the fear, agony and ongoing aftermath even in contemporary times. The style is far more overt than Cameron’s world of deceit; Harrison stresses the themes of identity, culture, hope and emotions of this event in a post-modern, extensive mix of performance styles and a non-linear narrative structure. This episodic sequence allows for a merging of past and present, and was carried through in our own experiential  learning. When witnessing the performances of Stolen, it is clear the focus both groups put on emotion, non-linear structure and effective use of props to convey style and content. For example, the use of a white sheet and spotlight to create silhouettes for storytelling was a powerful motif and use of a theatrical prop to not only portray the non-realist and narrative style of Stolen, but to enhance the content of family and fear. Dual scenes were simultaneously presented; one in dialogue, and the other in silhouetted visuals that emphasised and emotionalised the horrors of our Australian past. As Harrison quotes; â€Å"What I wanted was to make an emotional connection†¦I want them to think ‘that happened to people. How would I feel?† The play also incorporates elements of Brecht’s ‘breaking of the fourth wall’ and Realism in both the scripted and our class performance of the final scene. As the original script’s stage directions dictate; â€Å"they line up diagonally†¦just like in the first scene. Then the actors break out of their roles and talk in turn about their own experiences.† The original production in 1998 did just this in relation to indigenous actors and their role in the stolen generation. However, for our class performance, students emulated the directions through their experiences in workshopping, characters, researching and performing Stolen. This simple, stripped back and realist Brechtian ending was the perfect theatrical technique and choice to reflect the plays content and importance of personal connection and emotion, adding and a contemporary spin on Australian theatre. As an audience member, it was incredibly powerful hearing actors talk unscripted and bring a true sense of realism and conviction when recounting their own experience; strengthening the actor-audience relationship through understanding and empathy. One can only imagine the immense power of individuals exposed to the stolen generation and Australia’s dark past, and their re-telling of stories as actors on stage in Stolen. Witnessing our class performances, it was clear Harrison’s intent of emotional connection with the audience and an empowered empathy towards the story and our own traditional and contemporary society. Theatre is simply a mirror to our society; a reflection of our past wrongs and future endeavours with the aim of social comment and audience engagement. Both Cameron’s ‘Ruby Moon’ and Harrison’s ‘Stolen’ address  contemporary Australian society content: whether it is the warped world of suburbia or our country’s mistakes, both employ dramatic and theatrical techniques and style to reflect this and strengthen the actor-audience relationship. As Matt Cameron quotes, â€Å"theatre exists in the imagination of the beholder†¦it is not necessarily about the black hat. It is about the blind man in the dark room looking for it.†

To What Extent Was Whig/Liberal Dominance 1846-68 a Result of Their Free Trade Agenda

To what extent was Whig/Liberal dominance in the period 1846-68 a result of their free trade agenda? Between the years 1846 and 1868, the Conservative party was only in power for a total of just under four years – 1852, 1858-97 and 1866-68. Throughout these short-lived periods, they were never able to achieve a majority and this illustrates and defines the extent of Whig/Liberal dominance in this period. Their dominance was without doubt partially as a result of their free-trade agenda, but other factors, such as other policies the grouping made in this period, the gravitation of the Peelites towards the Whigs, the growth of popular Liberalism, the work of specific individuals and the weakness of the Conservatives also caused their dominance in this period. Whig/Liberal dominance in the period 1846-68 was, without doubt, caused to some extent as a result of their free trade agenda. In 1849 the Navigation Acts, which restricted the nationality of ships carrying British trade, were abolished, thereby causing a huge increase in the number of ships carrying British trade and thus, an increase in British exports. The Companies Acts of 1858 and 1862 played vital roles in bringing more investment into Britain as they limited the liability of the ordinary shareholder and laid out precise rules for companies about their registration and accounts. In the period 1859-65, whilst Gladstone was Chancellor of the Exchequer, income tax was reduced from 9d in the pound to 6d in the pound, and only payable by those earning over ? 00 per annum. This meant that ordinary people had more money in their pocket to spend and put back into the British economy. Gladstone also managed to abolish paper duties in 1861, meaning that the cost of newspapers and magazines fell and ordinary people were able to buy them. He also worked consistently to remove almost all duties on imported goods in to Britain. Finally, the Cobden-Chevalier treaty, signed in 1860, was an integral part of the Whig/Liberals’ free trade agenda in this period. Anglo-French relations had been strained in the years leading up to 1860 with French expansion into Italy, and Gladstone agreed with free trader Richard Cobden that signing a free-trade treaty with France would ease the political tension. He was right, and the treaty helped to double British exports to France in the next 10 years as it reduced the duties British manufacturers and coal owners had to pay when importing to France. As Philip Magnus writes in his biography of Gladstone, ‘the repeal of so many duties helped to reduce the cost of living. People had more money in their pocket as a result of the Whig/Liberals’ policy, so naturally supported them. The free-trade agenda helped the emerging Whig/Liberal party to win the support of what had become the largest single grouping within the electorate, the middle classes. This was as a result of the period of prosperity Britain went through, illustrated by the fact that ‘exports rose by 350% between 1842 and 1873. à ¢â‚¬â„¢ The Whig/Liberal grouping was in power for a large amount of this period of prosperity, and so got the credit for it with the electorate. The free-trade agenda was also an important factor in causing Whig/Liberal dominance because it united the grouping. Within the grouping, there were Whigs, Liberals, Peelites and Radicals, representing all shades of the political spectrum from centre-right (Whigs) to left (Radicals) . They were seen as a ‘curious amalgam’ as a result of their different political standpoints, and the unity which the issue of free trade gave the group was vital in keeping it strong and together. The dominance of the Whig/Liberal grouping from 1846-68 was also caused by the other policies the grouping made in this period. They pursued a sensible social policy which affected many areas of life. They made vaccination compulsory to try and eradicate smallpox, and introduced a Factory Act in 1853 which limited working hours for women and children. The Smoke Abatement Act of 1853 played a major part in cutting down on coal and other fumes which were dirtying the air and affecting the environment. The 1857 Divorce and Matrimonial Causes Act allowed divorce through regular courts. This made divorce accessible to all, because previously divorces could only be granted in the House of Lords, which was hugely expensive. The Offences against the Person Act of 1861 helped to clarify criminal law and made many parts of it more humane. Finally, the state grant to education increased radically to ? 1. 3 million by 1862, helping to improve the education that children received. The other main area of policy which helped the dominance of the Whig/Liberal grouping was their attitude towards the non-conformists. As I have mentioned above, the middle class had become the largest single grouping within the electorate and many of them were non-conformist. The Anglican Church had a monopoly over religion in Britain, despite the fact that the Religious Census of 1851 showed that almost half the church-goers in England were non-conformists. Therefore, the Whig/Liberals decided to tackle the issue. Their pressure during the 1850s forced universities to open their doors to everyone, not just Anglicans. As John Vincent writes in ‘The Formation of the British Liberal Party’: ‘The non-conformist community†¦had of course traditionally looked to the old Whig party†¦that allegiance was now potentially available to the Liberal Party. The Whig/Liberals, with their positive attitude towards non-conformist grievances, helped win their support, adding to their dominance in this period. However, as Duncan Watts argues, ‘(Palmerston’s) ministry had no obvious domestic policy at all. ’ The Government in this period actually made few significant policy changes, and this leads on to my next point. The Conse rvative Party, as shown often throughout history, thrive when they are able to persuade the electorate that the opposition party have radical tendencies. In this case, nothing of note occurs so the Conservatives were unable to portray the Whig/Liberals being at all radical. This contributed to their weakness in this period. The sustained weakness of the Conservatives in this period also helped to cause Whig/Liberal dominance. As well as the fact that they were unable to portray the Whig/Liberal grouping as radical, they were also weak for a number of other reasons. Firstly, they held limited electoral appeal. This was primarily because they followed a very unpopular policy in the form of protectionism – defending the interests of the landed classes. This was highlighted in Disraeli’s Budget of 1852 which, while pleasing the Conservative backbenchers with its tax breaks on malt, was not popular with anyone else. Also, as Robert Stewart writes, ‘The Conservative Party was, and suffered electorally for being, firmly tied to the agricultural community. ’ The middle classes, in the main, lived in urban areas and the Conservative focus on the countryside did not serve them well. They had poor party unity, and had a big problem in broadening their appeal without losing their traditional support. If they had been able to shed their protectionist reputation and improve their image, then they may have gained some non-conformist middle-class support, but they were not able to and so the Whig/Liberals dominated the period 1846-68. For a generation after the repeal of the Corn Laws, the Conservatives ceased to be a governing party. ’ In 1846, the majority of the ‘talent’ in the Conservative Party – the Peelites – defected to the Whigs in protest at the party’s refusal to commit to freer trade. This meant that the Conservatives were left with ‘n o obvious leader ’ – making them even less of an electoral threat to the Whig/Liberals, but more importantly giving numbers and talent to the Whigs as the Peelites gravitated towards them. The gravitation of the Peelites towards the Whigs is clearly another important cause of Whig/Liberal dominance in the years 1846-68. At any moment any or all of them (the Peelites) would have been welcomed back into the Conservative ranks or assimilated into the Liberal ranks. ’ (Philip Magnus). However, the Conservatives, with their protectionist leanings (as illustrated in the 1852 Budget with tax breaks for the rich) were unattractive to the Peelites, who saw free trade as a key issue. In contrast, the Whigs were far more receptive to free trade, and the Peelites found ‘cohabitation not entirely distasteful’ (Eric Evans) when they decided to from a coalition with the Whigs in 1846 after the collapse of the Conservative government. The two groups shared a progressive nature and a common focus (free trade) so the Peelites decided to join the Whigs. This gave them an edge over the Conservatives both in terms of numbers and talent. Finally, the Peelites wanted to be in power, and realised that the Conservatives were unpopular amongst the electorate, so gravitated towards the Whigs and aided their dominance in the period 1846-68. A fifth key aspect which helps to explain Whig/Liberal dominance in 1846-68 s the role of key individuals, particularly Palmerston, Gladstone and Bright. Firstly, Lord Palmerston was instrumental in setting up the Willis Rooms meeting at which the Liberal Party was officially formed out of the Whigs, Peelites, Liberals and Radicals. Secondly, his ‘immense appeal†¦and powerful presence’ (Stephen Lee) helped to keep the coalition together in its infancy between 1859 and 1865, as well as the fact that he managed to keep all the factions happy because they were all represente d in the Cabinet. The fact that ‘to the man in the street, he personified British patriotism ’ (i. e. Palmerston’s popularity with the electorate), gave the coalition time to fuse. Palmerston’s conservative approach to domestic policy made him difficult for the Conservatives to oppose because they could not portray him as dangerously radical. H However, also very important was Palmerston’s death, which allowed for a truly ‘Liberal’ party to grow under Gladstone, as Palmerston’s policies were not especially liberal. Gladstone himself is another key individual. He ‘breathes life into the dry bones of the Liberal Party’ (Paul Adelman) and this was as a result a number of reasons, mainly during his time as Chancellor (1852-55 and 1859-65). He gained support for the Whig/Liberal grouping with his successful and very popular Budgets. This support came both from the middle classes with his promise to end income tax and general position of aiding free trade, and from the working class with his removal of tariffs on things like paper, which made newspapers accessible to them. His rhetoric spoke well of the working classes, and his noises about parliamentary reform also helped him gain their support. His reputation for sound finance helped him to win the respect of many independent backbench MPs. His sophisticated knowledge, oratorical skill and hard work impressed Parliament and the electorate, whilst he ‘gave to popular Liberalism an identifiable public face with which the Liberal electorate could easily associate’ (Winstanley), thus helping their dominance in this period. The final key individual who aided the Whig/Liberal grouping’s dominance is John Bright, leader of the Radicals. He persuaded all the members of the diverse grouping which were the Radicals to come to the Willis Rooms Meeting in 1859 and eventually to become a part of the Liberal party. He also gave Gladstone his full support as Bright believed that Gladstone would the most progressive leader when Palmerston died, which would be advantageous to the Radicals. To this end, he persuaded Gladstone to cultivate non-conformist links, as well as links with the newly emerging Labour elite, in order to popularise himself outside of the House of Commons. Bright also persuaded various other groups, such as the non-conformists, trade unionists and other Radicals to support Gladstone. This was also because he wanted to ensure Gladstone became leader after Palmerston, and all this explains why Donald Read writes ‘Bright, as much as Gladstone, created the Gladstonian Liberal Party. ’ As shown from the evidence above, key individuals played a major part in the dominance by the Whig/Liberals between 1846 and 1868. A final key factor which caused Whig/Liberal dominance in the period 1846-68 was the growth of popular Liberalism and grass-roots support for it. John Vincent believed that ‘the tail was leading the head’ – that is to say the Whig/Liberal dominance in government was as a result of grassroots support, not the other way round. He thought that this growth was as a result of three main factors: ‘the creation of a cheap daily provincial press, the growth of militant non-conformism, and the rise of organised labour’ (John Vincent). The growth of a cheap press, mainly dominated by Liberal politicians (e. g. the Baines family with the ‘Leeds Mercury’) meant that the Liberals’ message could be spread across the country, and thus helped to build up an ‘articulate, self-conscious, provincial Liberalism’ which helped the dominance of the Whig/Liberals no end. ‘The non-conformists were prepared to place their wealth, their votes – a bloc of 87 non-conformists MPs were returned in 1865 – together with their influence, their zeal and their organising ability at the disposal of the Liberal Party’ (John Vincent). This meant that the Whig/Liberals gained all the helpful features mentioned above as a result of the growth of militant non-conformity, and this helped their position of dominance. The rise of organised labour also helped the Whig/Liberal because, as Vincent suggests, ‘to vote Liberal was closely tied to the growing ability of whole new classes to stand on their own feet’ – the people of organised labour saw the Whig/Liberals as the party to represent them, and thus the Whig/Liberals gained support and votes from this section of the electorate. Thus we can see that the growth of popular Liberalism was a key factor in the Whig/Liberals’ dominance in 1846-68. To conclude, it is obvious that all the factors mentioned above had an important role to play in causing the dominance of the Whig/Liberal grouping. The gravitation of the Peelites towards the Whigs is a key factor because it kept the Conservatives weak in this period. The role of key individuals was also vital because this meant the grouping followed an agenda of free trade, thus winning middle class support. Middle class support was also won with other policies the grouping followed, such as their addressing of non-conformist grievances. The role of key individuals also helped the growth of popular Liberalism because it meant that the electorate had familiar, popular faces to associate the party with. It can also be argued that what the Whig/Liberals didn’t do was crucial to their dominance because they followed a moderate policy, meaning that the Conservatives were unable to portray them as radical. Thus, dominance is both as a result of factors inside Parliament and outside Parliament, but it is clear that the moderate policies and free trade agenda is the most important factor in the Whig/Liberal dominance because the moderate policies and free-trade agenda won the support of the middle classes, made the party popular at grassroots level, meant that the Tories could not portray the grouping as dangerously radical and meant that the Peelites felt that the Whigs were more suitable for them to join than the Conservatives. Thus, free trade and moderate policies is the most important cause of Whig/Liberal dominance between the years 1846 and 1868.

Organic Foods Are They Really Better for Us? Essay

Consumer food awareness is growing and with it the need of going back to basics. To fulfil needs of these people, hotel restaurants as well as other food outlets starts to use term organic food as a marketing tool. In current market organic products seem to be an easy and quite low-cost means to elevate the prestige of a restaurant. The General Manager of the Savoy Hotel- Kieran Macdonald (cited in Hammond, Shepard 2010) says: â€Å"Luxury has changed in the last few years from the point of how it is defined†¦ it used to something that was very materialistic†¦ and very new. Now people are looking for authenticity – something that has integrity behind it†. INTRODUCTION (continued) Main restrictions in organic food production: * Before a license is granted and on a yearly basis after, all farmers and processors are subjected to rigorous inspections (Bord Bia 2011). * Very limited use of synthetic pesticide, fertiliser, livestock antibiotics, food additives and growth regulators is allowed in organic farming. * Use of genetically modified organism (GMO’S) is completely prohibited * Livestock must be provided with organic feed in a free-range, open-air farm. * At processing stage use of artificial flavourings and colorants is not allowed, only authorised by the European Commission non-organic ingredients, additives or processing aids can be used with strict limit. * Distribution and sales involve proper produce labelling- the producer name and name or code number of the inspection body must be provided. (European Commission, Agriculture and Rural Development ,Organic Farming 2011) All the above would suggest, that choosing organic is the best possible choice that consumer can make, but does the organic food really equal higher quality, more nutrients, better taste etc.? Can consumption of organic food make a difference to our health? Many studies were carried out to answer those questions and I will elaborate on them in later stages of my assignment. NUTRITIONAL VALUE OF ORGANIC FOODS VIA CONVENTIONAL FOODS â€Å"Nutrition and food safety trends are at the centre-of-the-plate this year. Restaurants are updating menus to reflect nutrition policy and trends, consumer desires for variety and quality, and chef innovations† (Restaurant Industry Forecast, National Restaurant Association 2011) A lot of research was conducted in past years in order to differentiate nutritional value of organic and conventional food produce. I will focus this assignment on high demand foods like fruit and vegetable, dairy produce and meat. Fruits, vegetables and grains According to the studies conducted by a certified nutrition specialist Virginia Worthington (2001) an increased amount of several nutrients is present in organic crops compared with their conventional equivalents. These included: * 27% more vitamin C * 21. 1% more iron * 29. 3% more magnesium * 13. 6% more phosphorus * 15. 1% less nitrates than their conventional counterparts. Figure 3 The chart above illustrates the percentage of additional mineral content in organic compare to conventional crops. However, when the research was carried out the following factors (which are proven to have an effect on a nutritional quality of the food) weren’t taken into account: * Quality of soil and fertility usage * Storage methods * Forms of food consumption e. g. fresh, steamed, pureed, cooked from frozen etc. * Climate in different regions of the world (amount of rainfall and sunlight per day) * The method and timing of harvest To get a real picture of a difference in a nutritional value of organic via conventional foods, a large quantity of different origin samples would need to be tested. Findings that take into account the listed above factors were published in a report â€Å"New Evidence Confirms the Nutritional Superiority of Plant-Based Organic Foods† (Benbrook, Zhao, Yanez, Davies and Andrews 2008, p.42) and state that: â€Å"Yes, organic plant-based foods are, on average, more nutritious in term of their nutrient density†¦ The average serving†¦contains about 25% more of the nutrients†¦than a comparable-sized serving of the same food produced by conventional farming methods. † NUTRITIONAL VALUE OF ORGANIC FOODS VIA CONVENTIONAL FOODS (continued) Milk and dairy produce Another research, carried out on grass feed cows, by Newcastle University in United Kingdom (2008) and published online in the Journal of Science of Food and Agriculture showed that forage-based diet and natural grazing have a significant influence on milk composition. An increase in beneficial fatty acids, antioxidants and vitamins was observed when nutritional values of organic milk and conventional milk were compared. Meats Studies of laboratory animals demonstrate that farm-raised animal’s meat is higher in some fatty acids. Amount of CLA (Conjugated linoleic acid) found in animals fed organically grown diet is five times higher than the once fed conventional diet. Meat and dairy products from organic animals are the richest known source of this fatty acid (Butler 2008) Pastured cattle’s meat is also higher in vitamin E. Even when compared with cattle given supplements of vitamin E, the condensation of this vitamin in organic cow’s meat is twice as high (Kluger, Jeffrey 2010). Lack of day light and fresh organic feed have a significant effect on amount of omega-3 in chicken meat and eggs. 10 times more omega-3 was found in pastured hen’s egg when compared to factory hen’s egg (Kluger et al 2010) . INFLUENCE OF FOODS COMPONENTS ON CONSUMER’S HEALTH Fats and sugars A well-known fact is that today’s generation is getting heavier. One of the reasons for it is a tendency to eat foods witch are high in fats and sugars and low in vitamins and minerals. Another well-known fact is that obese people are more likely to suffer from diabetes, high blood pressure, stroke and other obesity-related illnesses. According to studies directed by DR. Don Davis (2004) in University of Texas-Austin, the vitamins and minerals concentration of many commonly consumed foods has dropped gradually (figure 4). Figure 4 Vitamins and fatty acids Vitamin E is well known antioxidants and is believed to have anti-aging properties. Eating food naturally reach in this vitamin can lower risk of heart disease and cancer. Fatty acids and CLA in particular might protect against various cancers. In addition omega -3 and 6 reduce risk of heart disease and arthritis and improve mental functions. Research conducted by Swiss scientist Lukas Rist and his team (2006) has found 50% higher levels of CLA in breast milk of mother, whose diet was based on organic milk and meat products. Large human study reported that consumption of organic dairy products is closely connected with risk of eczema in infants being reduced (Kummeling, Thijs and Huber 2008) Pesticides and antibiotics. Some pesticides allowed to be used in food business are proved to be dangerous for health. Findings of another research reveal strong connection between exposure to pesticides and a variety of health effects in humans. The ill effects can differ from headaches, fatigue and nausea to neurological disorders including cancer (U. S. General Accounting Office 2001). An increase in development of drug-resistant bacteria in human body was observed in recent years. Also early-onset puberty in girls is a growing problem. Existence of mentioned conditions is related to antibiotics being used in farming. Organically raised animals and organic practices in general, avoid the abuse of antibiotics (Kluger et al 2010) TASTE AND PSYCHOLOGICAL FACTOR OF CHOOSING ORGANIC FOODS â€Å"While the growth in organic purchases is primarily in the retail category, consumers are demanding these offerings more when they dine out, and restaurant operators need to meet these demands. † Nation’s Restaurant News (2011) Does organic food taste better? Most people say that they cannot taste the difference, but organic isn’t a guarantee of taste. Taste of crops largely depends on quality of soil, weather conditions, treatments used by farmer etc. As taste is an entirely subjective matter, only large scale double-blind taste test would help in finding out if organic crops have better, fresher, more complex flavours than industrial crops do. But without a doubt, abnormally large, excessively engineered tomatoes designed to ripen on the way to a distribution centre will never come close to the taste of its vine-ripened, fresh-picked cousin (Kluger et al 2010). Numbers of people looking for authentic food are increasing with every year. More and more consumers want to grow their own fruit and vegetables, as they fill need of going back to basics. Fruits and vegetables that that can be seen every day in the shops don’t look like ones from grandmother’s garden. Not even one apple with a wormhole makes buyers question their â€Å"realness†. Most high class hotel restaurants recognise the need and importance of providing their guests with fresh, fully nutrient organic food and as a result information of the origin of produce used in preparation of meals is placed on the menu. ETHICS AND ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT OF ORGANIC FARMING A problematic issue, in non-organic agricultural areas, is soil and water pollution. According to findings of the U. S. Geological Survey over 90% of water and fish samples from rivers and nearly 50% of all tested wells contained a minimum of one pesticide (U. S. General Accounting Office 2001). Another shocking but common issue is relates to the way non-organic animals are raised. In order to fatten an animal, so it can be slaughter as fast as possible, a high-calorie, corn-based feed is used. To increase productivity level large numbers of animals are jammed together on factory farms. A cow raised in these conditions might be slaughter after just 14 months, while for a grass-feed cow it can take up to two and a half years before it face the knife (Kluger et al 2010). Last but not least way in which organic farming influence environment is by respecting use of countryside. In order to maintain a balance required by a healthy ecosystem organic farmers use a variety of non-chemical method for the control of pest and weeds. By looking for disease resistant crops, that works the best in particular climate, they contribute in big way to protection of different varieties of dying out of forgotten species. CONCLUSION There is no simple answer to the question asked in the topic of this assignment. First of all, we should remember that the purpose behind organic agriculture is not primarily about human nutrition – it’s more about protecting the environment. The world population is growing, obesity rate continue to climb, people eat more and more food needs to be produced- all of that results in industrial engineering tricks being use in food production. Some of us are aware of the above and choose organic. Unfortunately, because of overuse of agricultural chemicals over past decades, they are all-pervasive in rainfall and water that is held in the soil and in pervious rocks. Due to drift via wind and rain organic crops are also exposed to them, so organic food cannot be a guarantee of 100% toxic free. This assignment confirms that organically-grown plants, animals and dairy products are more nutritious, yet the health effect of eating organic cannot be assess by simple lab test. Monitoring of health of individuals over generations is the only way of finding out if organic is really better. And still a healthy balance, in types of foods eaten, needs to be maintained. Person that throughout the day eats large amounts of organic chocolate and pastries and drink seven organic coffees and have a six pack of organic beer with organic burger and chips for dinner is missing the point. Also restaurants play a big role in creating a healthy eating concept. Good chefs know, that methods of cooking and focusing on seasonal and local products, to minimise the time between harvesting and eating, can be more important than whether a food is organic or non-organic. And finally, before deciding on what to put on our plate, either organic or not, we should always bear in mind a very meaningful phrase: â€Å"You are what you eat†. REFERENCES: Benbrook C. , Zhao X. , Yanez J. , Davies N. , Andrews P. (2008) â€Å"New Evidence Confirms the Nutritional Superiority of Plant-Based Organic Foods† available: http://www. organic-center. org/science. nutri.php? action=view&report_id=126, [accessed: 10 Oct 2011] Bord Bia-Irish Food Board (2011) â€Å"Organic Food† available: http://www. bordbia. ie/aboutfood/organicfood/Pages/OrganicFood. aspx [accessed 4 Oct 2011]. Butler, Newcastle University (2008), â€Å"Organic Free Grazing Cows Are Cream Of The Crop† ScienceDaily, available: http://www. sciencedaily. com /releases/2008/05/080527101003. htmhttp://www. sciencedaily. com/releases/2008/05/080527101003. htm, accessed: 16 Oct 2011 European Commission, Agriculture and Rural Development ,Organic Farming (2011), â€Å"What is organic farming? † available: http://ec. europa. eu/agriculture/organic/organic-farming/what-organic_en [accessed 04 Oct 2011] Hammond R. , Shepard A. (2010)†The Savoy – a green hotel? † available: http://www. greentraveller. co. uk/blog/savoy-london-green-hotel [accessed 06 Oct 2011] Kluger, Jeffrey. (2010)†What’s So Great About Organic Food? †, Time, Vol. 176 Issue 9, p30-40, available: http://web. ebscohost. com/ehost/detail? sid=e6bef63d-8e95-431c-9fd9-523ebf5edba0%40sessionmgr111&vid=2&hid=119&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d.