Lord Of The Flies The Deterioration Of free essay sample

Lord Of The Flies- -The Deterioration Of Law And Order Essay, Research Paper Rousseau believed that civilisation corrupts the indispensable artlessness and goodness of adult male. The baronial barbarian in his ain natural home ground will free himself of societies immoralities. But that is non what happens in Lord of the Flies. In Fact, Without society maintaining him in line, adult male will return back to his most cardinal province, and film over the line between animate beings and worlds From the naming of the first meeting and all along up to the concluding Hunt for Ralph the sense of order and regard is bit by bit worsening among the male childs. In the beginning everybody listens to what everybody has to state, and they try to construct a civilised society on the island. The male childs had evidently gotten a reasonably rigorous upbringing both at place and at school. All of them have a definite position of what is right and what is incorrect. We will write a custom essay sample on Lord Of The Flies The Deterioration Of or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page We see this even in Jack, as he can non kill the first hog they meet. At first they are able to utilize this sense, and maintain their traditional criterions besides on the island. They elect a leader democratically, and by popular ballot they start make up ones minding what has to be done. They have regulations for the meetings and they make Torahs for what is allowed and what is non. We ll have regulations! he cried excitedly. Tonss of regulations! Then when anyone breaks em 33 The job comes when the male childs start recognizing that there is no 1 at that place to command them. There are no grownups at that place to do them labor and sudate if they do non desire to. The male childs realize that swimming and eating fruit all twenty-four hours is more merriment, than puting the foundation for a just and safe society where everybody works for the benefit of the whole group. The chief symbol that represents the jurisprudence and order on the island is the conch shell. It is with this Ralph calls all the meetings and all of the other male childs seem to esteem this. Anyone who holds it has the right to be heard. Without this, cipher would likely of all time have listened to any of Piggy s intelligent suggestions. There would hold been no fire, no shelters and no assigned topographic point for toilet usage. As the regard for the conch disappears, so does the jurisprudence and order on the island. This hits stone underside as Piggy is killed and the conch is crushed with him. There is no longer any regard for Old World regulations left on the island. I m non traveling to play any longer. Not with you. Most of the male childs were looking down now, at the grass or at their pess. Jack cleared his idea once more. I m non traveling to be a portion of Ralph s batch # 8211 ; 127 And Jack leaves Ralph, the symbol of democracy, to happen get down his ain set of barbarians. These actions by Jack and some of the other male childs would propose that society is the lone thing maintaining adult male in line, and without society, adult male would return to his most cardinal province. However, There is more than one manner to construe this book. I personally think that Society at the same time creates and suppresses the feelings and urges we like to tie in with animate beings. Then, when put in an environment where society no longer exists, adult male would let go of what society had created and become, in many ways, worse than animate beings. That merely demonstrates the short manner from civilisation to savageness.

HM Strategy Essays

HM Strategy Essays HM Strategy Essay HM Strategy Essay Three main strategic goals for HM for the next five years would be linked with profitability, competition and technological leadership. HM has reported a rise in sales and profits and sales for the three months to 31st of August. Net profit for the third quarter of 2009 rose 4. 1% to 3. 46bn Swedish crowns from 3. 33bn crowns last year. Sales, excluding sales tax, increased by 13% to 23. 6bn crowns. So first LTO is to maintain financial stability HM has achieved. HM plans to increase sales revenues by 20% and earnings per share by 30% till 2015. Secondly as main strategy of HM is expansion, LTO in competition is to increase number of stores by 10% to 15% every year. Today HM has as 1840 stores up from 1618 at the same time last year. New stores will be open in the cities HM already has stores and also in completely new markets. HM is following all the latest innovations in the clothing manufacturing. It is important to increase efficiency, cut costs and keep prices low while raising quality. Third LTO in the technological leadership for HM is to lower maintenance costs by 15% and decrease waste by 10% till the year 2015. Porter’s four generic strategies are cost leadership, differentiation, low cost to narrow market strategy and niche strategy. HM has cost leadership strategy. HM offers fashionable clothing for cheap prices selling to broad markets. This strategy is also very suitable for the current economical situation. HM with this strategy also set high entry barriers for the competitors. HM has achieved ability to be efficient. As there is low profit margin being cost leader, HM is very focused on expansion and increase of market share. It is important for HM to sell more volumes of the product to earn profits. Fixed costs are high and by every product made variable costs are lowering. It has secured suppliers because HM doesn’t own factories itself but have long term production contracts with factories in Bangladesh, Morocco and Turkey. It is very important buyer to textile sellers as HM buys large quantities several times per year. HM has good long term contracts with its producers and suppliers.

Make a Memory Book With Questions to Ask Your Relatives

Make a Memory Book With Questions to Ask Your Relatives Important pieces of a familys history are found only in the memories of the living relatives. But many times those personal stories are never written down or shared before it is too late. The thought-provoking questions in a memory book can make it easier for a grandparent or other relation to recall people, places and times that they thought they had forgotten. Help them tell their story and record their precious memories for posterity by creating a personalized memory book or journal for them to complete. Make a Memory Book Begin by purchasing an empty three ring binder or a blank writing journal. Look for something that either has removable pages or lies flat when open to make writing easier. I prefer the binder because it lets you print and use your own pages. Even better, it also allows your relative to make mistakes and start over with a fresh page, which can help lessen the intimidation factor. Create a List of Questions Be sure to include questions which cover each phase of the individuals life: childhood, school, college, job, marriage, raising children, etc. Get your family into the act and have your other relations and children suggest questions that interest them. These history interview questions can help you get started, but dont be afraid to come up with additional questions of your own. Gather Together Family Photos Select images that include your relative and their family. Have them professionally scanned into digital format or do it yourself. You can also photocopy the photos, but this generally doesnt yield as nice a result. A memory book offers an excellent opportunity to have kin identify individuals and recall stories in unidentified photos. Include one or two unidentified photos per page, with sections for your relative to identify the people and place, plus any stories or memories which the photo may prompt them to recall. Create Your Pages If youre using a hard-backed journal you can print and paste in your questions or, if you have nice handwriting, pen them in by hand. If youre using a 3-ring binder, use a software program such to create and arrange your pages before printing them out. Include only one or two questions per page, leaving plenty of room for writing. Add photos, quotes or other little memory triggers to accent the pages and provide further inspiration. Assemble Your Book Decorate the cover with personalized sayings, photos or other family memories. If you want to get really creative, scrapbooking supplies such as archival-safe stickers, die cuts, trim, and other decorations can help you add a customized, personal touch to the publishing process. Once your memory book is complete, send it off to your relative with a pack of good writing pens and a personal letter. Once they have completed their memory book, you may want to send new pages with questions to add to the book. Once they return the completed memory book to you, be sure to have photocopies made to share with family members and protect against possible loss.

Management of Human Resources Individual work wk4 Assignment

Management of Human Resources Individual work wk4 - Assignment Example First is the economic globalization where there is increased global marketplace for products. Therefore, organizations should emphasize on innovating new products as well as employ people who are highly skilled and knowledgeable for most businesses are operating globally. Secondly, there is a shortage of skilled labor and talented employees worldwide therefore through information technology it is possible to employ a global workforce thus making it possible to operate globally therefore should be embraced. Thirdly, different countries have different cultures therefore for those firms that operate in more than one country, it is important to adapt the local cultures of each country. Lastly, the business strategies of an organization describe the ways these organizations plan to gain advantage and stay ahead of the competitors. Organizations should ensure that they produce goods of high quality, constantly innovating, providing the best services to customers and keeping costs low. Thes e changes will be incremental as the business world is developing very fast and organizations need to keep up with the speed to beat competition. The HR policies will be affected greatly by the changes. This is because of the fact that they will need to recruit new staff who are skilled as well as train those already in the business it will be costly but worthwhile. I addition, the performance of most organizations will also go up because organizations will be using up to date technology and skilled workers. The consequences include an expensive work force who will be asking for bigger pay for the services they offer as well as the business will grow due to the good performance of the skilled employees. Some of the advantages of using employee surveys to assess progress toward HR objectives include the ability to survey a large number of employees at the same time as well as getting honest and ample feedback. In addition,

Domestic violence Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words - 1

Domestic violence - Essay Example It is important to note that there has been a wide spread outcry from the public as well as the leaders on the status of domestic violence in the societies. The trend of the domestic violence in the homes has also been noted to be on the increase. On the contrary, there have been significantly little measures that have been put forward for the management of the cases. The program will have its aims at encouraging the present two-way police training awareness. This will be carried out in conjunction with the on-going debates on the. Subsequently, there exist four on-going projects on the PAHT projects across the state. The program shall be developed with regard to the current finding on the various studies that have been carried out. Some of the studies that shall be taken into consideration are like the Domestic Violence as observed in the child protection systems. Domestic Violence actions and resources and also the Aboriginal as well as the Torres straits islander women’s taskforce on violence report, 2010. On the other hand, the program that is intended to carry out the initiative is well developed with a board of members that is elected on annual basis. Additionally, there are various trained councillors who are always available, but seemingly the number has been way too down for the cases that have been received, hence the need of training more volunteers. The project will be committed on focusing on its objectives as have been described; which is majorly dealing with the elimination of domestic violence in the state. The initiative will have the sole responsibility of taking into consideration of the plight of the women and children who might be victims of domestic violence. As such, the project can be described to have two major components; communal outreach and perpetrator rehabilitation. On the other hand, the services that shall be geared towards the communal outreach shall be responsible for

Evaluating Internal Controls Essay Example for Free

Evaluating Internal Controls Essay An organization’s internal controls are comprised of five components, which include: the control environment, risk assessment, control activities, monitoring, and information and communication. The five components of internal control are considered to be criteria for evaluating an organization’s financial reporting controls and the bases for auditors’ assessment of control risk as it relates to an organization’s financial statements (Lowers, et. al., 2007). â€Å"Thus, auditors must consider the five components in terms of (1) understanding a client’s financial reporting controls and documenting that understanding, (2) preliminarily assessing the control risk, and (3) testing the controls, reassessing control risk, and using that assessment to plan the remainder of the audit work† (Lowers, et. al., 2007, p. 161). Phase I – Understanding Throughout the course of Phase I an audit team will work to obtain a clear understanding of a company’s internal control environment and management’s risk assessment. The audit team will review the flow of transactions through the company’s accounting system, and the design of some client control  procedures (Lowers, et.al., 2007). In this step the audit team will perform their assessments in a top-down risk-based manner that first examines company-level controls (CLCs) and then controls of significant business units within the company (Lowers, et.al., 2007). Controls within the control environment and companywide programs include: †¢ Management’s risk assessment †¢ Centralized processing and controls including shared service environments †¢ Period-end financial reporting process †¢ Controls to monitor results of operations †¢ Controls to monitor other controls †¢ Board-approved policies that address significant business control and risk management practices (Lowers, et. al., 2007, p. 161). Once the audit team has completed their examination of CLCs the audit team will then document their understanding through the use of narrative descriptions or flowcharts. The audit team will then use one of those tools to design a preliminary program of substantive procedures for auditing assertions related to the company’s account balances, which is conducted in Phase II (Lowers, et. al., 2007). Phase II – Assessment After the audit team has completed Phase I the audit team will move into Phase II or the preliminary assessment of the company’s control risks. Throughout the course of Phase II the audit team will analyze the control strengths and weaknesses of the company. A company’s strengths are considered as specific features of good general and application controls while its weaknesses are considered as a lack of controls in particular areas (Lowers, et. al., 2007). The audit team’s findings and preliminary conclusions should then be written up and documented in audit files known as the bridge workpapers. In Phase II the audit team will seek to answer the following questions through its assessment. Can control risk be low or less than maximum? Is reduction of the control risk assessment cost-effective? Once the audit team arrives at the answers of those questions it will then specify the controls to be tested and the degree of compliance required. â€Å"The distinction between the understanding and documenting phase and the preliminary control risk assessment phase is useful for understanding the  audit work. However, most auditors in practice do the two together, not as separate and distinct audit tasks† (Lowers, et. al., 2007). Phase III – Testing In the third and final phase the audit team will then perform tests of controls of the specified controls and reassess control risk. During the testing phase the audit team will seek to answer the question of how the actual degree of company compliance compares with the required degree of compliance with the company’s control policies and procedures. The audit team will then document the basis for assessing the company’s control risks, which are less than 100% or assess the company’s high or maximum control risk and design an audit program for the company with more effective substantive procedures. The audit team will then perform a test on the planned or revised substantive procedures. Conclusion An effective evaluation of a company’s internal controls will provide the company with a reasonable assurance regarding the achievement of its objectives in the following three categories: reliability of financial reporting; effectiveness and efficiency of its operations; and compliance with applicable laws and regulations. References Lowers, T.J., Ramsay, R.J., Sinason, D. H., Strawser, J.R. (2007). Internal Control and Evaluation. Auditing and Assurance Services. 2nd ed. The McGraw-Hill Companies. New York City, NY.

The Significance of the Townspeople and Emilys Father in A Rose for Em

A necrophiliac is described as a person who has an obsessive fascination with death and corpses (Mifflin 1). Emily, a necrophiliac in the story, â€Å"A Rose for Emily,† is a deranged, lost, and confused woman. A story filled with many symbols that help the stories meaning. The only man Emily knew growing up was her father. He taught her to trust no man, and no man would ever be good for her. He was highly favored through the town and everyone looked to him. The small town of curious and nosey people makes the story of â€Å"A Rose for Emily.† The town’s people are curious to know Emily’s every step, or wondering what she is going to do next, her appearance, and where the horrible smell in her house comes from. She meets a man in this small town and they become lovers. She then kills him with rat poisoning and sleeps with him every night until finally her time is up and everybody in her town finds out the real truth. Through out the whole story of â€Å"A Rose for Emily† no one ever knows who the people are in her town and we never find out there age, size, color, and whether or not they personally know Emily or not. They are just townspeople, townspeople who gossip. We only know what the people are saying about her and how judgmental they are being through out the whole story. According to Faulkner, in his Short Story Criticism he says, â€Å"Miss Emily constantly for fifty or sixty years; they are anonymous townspeople, for neither names nor sexes nor occupations are given or hinted at; and they seem to be naà ¯ve watchers, for they speak as though they did not understand the meaning of events at the time they occurred. Further, they are of undetermined age. By details given the story there neither older nor younger nor of the same age as Miss Em... ...again, her hair was cut short, making her look like a girl, with a vague resemblance to those angels in colored church windows- sort of tragic and serene† (Faulkner 31). Emily father was highly favored in the town. Faulkner writes in his Short Story Criticism, â€Å"The Griersons have always been â€Å"high and mighty,† somehow above â€Å"the gross, teeming world†¦.† Emily’s father was well respected and occasionally loaned the town money. That made her a wealthy child and she basically had everything a child wanted. Emily’s father was a very serious man and Emily’s mind was violated by her father’s strict mentality. After Emily’s father being the only man in her life, he dies and she find it hard to let go of him. Because of her father, she possessed a stubborn outlook on life and how thing should be. She practically secluded her self from society for the remainder of her life.

50 Harmful Effects of Genetically Modified (Gm) Foods Essay

Introduction What is called â€Å"biotechnology† is a vital issue that impacts all of us. Largely between 1997 and 1999, genetically modified (GM) food ingredients suddenly appeared in 2/3rds of all US processed foods. This food alteration was fueled by a single Supreme Court ruling. It allowed, for the first time, the patenting of life forms for commercialization. Since then thousands of applications for experimental genetically-modified (GM) organisms, including quite bizarre GMOs, have been filed with the US Patent Office alone, and many more abroad. Furthermore an economic war broke out to own equity in firms that legally claimed such patent rights or the means to control not only genetically modified organisms but vast reaches of human food supplies. This has been the behind-the-scenes and key factor for some of the largest and rapid agri-chemical firm mergers in history. The merger of Pioneer Hi-Bed and Dupont (1997), Novartis AG and AstraZeneca PLC (2000), plus Dow’s merger with Rohm and Haas (2001) are three prominent examples, Few consumers are aware this has been going on and is ever continuing. Yet if you recently ate soya sauce in a Chinese restaurant, munched popcorn in a movie theatre, or indulged in an occasional candy bar – you’ve undoubtedly ingested this new type of food. You may have, at the time, known exactly how much salt, fat and carbohydrates were in each of these foods because regulations mandate their labeling for dietary purposes. But you would not know if the bulk of these foods, and literally every cell had been genetically altered! In just those three years, as much as 1/4th of all American agricultural lands or 70-80 million acres were quickly converted to raise genetically-modified (GM) food and crops. See more: Unemployment – problems and solutions essay And in the race to increase GM crop production verses organics, the former is winning. For details, see our article Who is Winning The Race Between GM Global and Organic Crop Production? Core Philosophical Issues When Gandhi confronted British rule and Martin Luther King addressed those who disenfranchised Afro-Americans, each brought forth issues of morality and spirituality. They both challenged others to live up to the highest principles of humanity. With the issue of GM food technology, we should naturally do the same, and with great respect for both sides. It is not enough to list fifty or more harmful effects but we need to also address moral, spiritual and especially worldview issues. Here the stakes are incredibly huge. For an introductory discussion of the philosophical issues involving GMOs, why this technology represents the impregnation of a mechanical worldview, a death-centered vision of nature that is greatlyt accelerating the death of species on earth, see our article GMOs – Philosophical Issues of a Thanoptic (Death-Delivering) Technology. FROM HYBRIDIZATION TO GMOs Another challenging phenomenon to face in our modern world is that of hybridization. It seems to have worked so very successfully in some commercial realms, and as a major application of Gregor Mendel’s revolutionary Gene Theory. Mendel offered a logical extension of the larger mechanical worldview. Just as we create factory assembly lines for manufacturing inanimate products, why can’t we also manufacture living organisms, and using the same or similar principles? Why not take this assembly-line process to the next logical and progressive level? What’s wrong then with the â€Å"advance† of genetic engineering? No doubt, with hybridizations conscious life is manipulated. But living organisms continue to make some primary genetic decisions amid limited selections. We can understand this with an analogy. There is an immense difference between being a matchmaker and inviting two people to a dinner party, to meet and see if they are compatible. This differs essentially from forcing their meeting and union or a violent date rape. The former act may be divine, and the latter considered criminal. The implication is that biotechnology involves vital moral issues in regard to the whole of life in nature. With biotechnology, roses are no longer crossed with just roses. They are mated with pigs, tomatoes with oak trees, fish with asses, butterflies with worms, orchids with snakes. The technology that makes this all possible is called biolistics – a gunshot-like violence that pierces the nuclear membrane of cells. This essentially violates not just the core chambers of life (physically crossing nuclear membranes) but the conscious-choice principle that is part of living nature’s essence. Some also compare it to the violent crossing of territorial borders of countries, subduing inhabitants against their will. What will happen if this technology is allowed to spread? Fifty years ago few predicted that chemical pollution would cause so much vast environmental harm. Now nearly 1/3rd of all species are threatened with extinction (and up to half of all plant species and half of all mammals). Few also knew that cancer rates would skyrocket during this same period. Nowadays approximately 41% on average of Americans can expect cancer in their lifetime. ALARM SIGNALS No one has a crystal ball to see future consequences of the overall GMO technology. Nevertheless, there are silent alarm signals like the early death of canaries in a mine shaft. There is, for example, growing evidence that the wholesale disappearance of bees relates directly to the appearance of ever more GM pollen. If we understand certain philosophical issues about the 17th century’s worldview, the potential harm of GMOs actually can potentially far outweigh that of chemical pollution. This is because chemistry deals mostly with things altered by fire (and then no longer alive, isolated in laboratories – and not infecting living terrains in self-reproducible ways). Thus a farmer may use a chemical for many decades, and then let the land lie fallow to convert it back to organic farming. This is because the chemicals tend to break down into natural substances over time, Genetic pollution, however, can alter the oil’s life forever! Farmers who view their land as their primary financial asset have reason to heed this warning. They need to be alarmed by evidence that genetically-modified soil bacteria contamination can arise. This is more than just possible, given the numerous (1600 or more) distinct microorganisms that can be found in a single teaspoon of soil. If that soil contamination remains permanently, the consequences can be catastrophic. Someday the public may blacklist precisely those farms that have once planted GM crops. No one has put up any warning signs on product packaging for farmers, including those who now own 1/4 of all agricultural tracks in the US. Furthermore, the spreading potential impact on all ecosystems is profound. Writes Jeremy Rifkin, in The Biotech Century, â€Å"Our way of life is likely to be more fundamentally transformed in the next several decades than in the previous one thousand years†¦ Tens of thousands of novel transgenic bacteria, viruses, plants and animals could be released into the Earth’s ecosystems†¦ Some of those releases, however, could wreak havoc with the planet’s biospheres. † In short these processes involve unparalleled risks. Voices from many sides echo this view. Contradicting safety claims, no major insurance company has been willing to limit risks, or insure bio-engineered agricultural products. The reason given is the high level of unpredictable consequences. Over eight hundred scientists from 84 countries have signed The World Scientist open letter to all governments calling for a ban on the patenting of life-forms and emphasizing the very grave hazards of GMOs, genetically-modified seeds and GM foods. This was submitted to the UN, World Trade Organization and US Congress. The Union of Concerned Scientists (a 1000 plus member organization with many Nobel Laureates) has similarly expressed its scientific reservations. The prestigious medical journal, Lancet, published an article on the research of Arpad Pusztai showing potentially significant harms, and to instill debate. Britain’s Medical Association (the equivalent of the AMA and with over a 100,000 physicians) called for an outright banning of genetically-modified foods and labeling the same in countries where they still exist. In a gathering of political representatives from over 130 nations, drafting the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety, approximately 95% insisted on new precautionary approaches. The National Academy of Science report on genetically-modified products urged greater scrutiny and assessments. Prominent FDA scientists have repeatedly expressed profound fears and reservations but their voices were muted not due to cogent scientific reasons but intense political pressure from the Bush administration in its efforts to buttress and promote the profit-potentials of a nascent biotech industry. To counterbalance this, industry-employed scientists have signed a statement in favor of genetically-modified foods. But are any of these scientists impartial? Writes the New York Times (Feb 20, 2000) (about a similar crisis involving genetic engineering and medical applications). â€Å"Academic scientists who lack industry ties have become as rare as giant pandas in the wild†¦ lawmakers, bioethics experts and federal regulators are troubled that so many researchers have a financial stake [via stock options or patent participation] †¦ The fear is that the lure of profit could color scientific integrity, promoting researchers to withhold information about potentially dangerous side-effects. † Looked at from outside of commercial interests, perils of genetically modified foods and organisms are multi-dimensional. They include the creation of new â€Å"transgenic† life forms – organisms that cross unnatural gene lines (such as tomato seed genes crossed with fish genes) – and that have unpredictable behavior or replicate themselves out of control in the wild. This can happen, without warning, inside of our bodies creating an unpredictable chain reaction. A four-year study at the University of Jena in Germany conducted by Hans-Hinrich Kaatz revealed that bees ingesting pollen from transgenic rapeseed had bacteria in their gut with modified genes. This is called a â€Å"horizontal gene transfer. † Commonly found bacteria and microorganisms in the human gut help maintain a healthy intestinal flora. These, however, can be mutated. Mutations may also be able to travel internally to other cells, tissue systems and organs throughout the human body. Not to be underestimated, the potential domino effect of internal and external genetic pollution can make the substance of science-fiction horror movies become terrible realities in the future. The same is true for the bacteria that maintain the health of our soil – and are vitally necessary for all forms of farming – in fact for human sustenance and survival. Without factoring in biotechnology, milder forms of controlling nature have gravitated toward restrictive monocropping. In the past 50 years, this underlies the disappearance of approximately 95% of many native grains, beans, nuts, fruits, and vegetable varieties in the United States, India, and Argentina among other nations (and on average 75% worldwide). Genetically-modified monoculture, however, can lead to yet greater harm. Monsanto, for example, had set a goal of converting 100% of all US soy crops to Roundup Ready strains by the year 2000. If this plan were effected, it would have threatened the biodiversity and resilience of all future soy farming practices. Monsanto laid out similar strategies for corn, cotton, wheat and rice. This represents a deepest misunderstanding of how seeds interact, adapt and change with the living world of nature. One need only look at agricultural history – at the havoc created by the Irish potato blight, the Mediterranean fruit fly epidemic in California, the regional citrus canker attacks in the Southeast, and the 1970’s US corn leaf blight. In the latter case, 15% of US corn production was quickly destroyed. Had weather changes not quickly ensued, most all crops would have been laid waste because a fungus attached their cytoplasm universally. The deeper reason this happened was that approximately 80% of US corn had been standardized (devitalized/mechanized) to help farmers crossbreed – and by a method akin to those used in current genetic engineering. The uniformity of plants then allowed a single fungus to spread, and within four months to destroy crops in 581 counties and 28 states in the US. According to J. Browning of Iowa State University: â€Å"Such an extensive, homogeneous acreage of plants†¦ is like a tinder-dry prairie waiting for a spark to ignite it. † The homogeneity is unnatural, a byproduct again of deadening nature’s creativity in the attempt to mechanize, to grasp absolute control, and of what ultimately yields not control but wholesale disaster. Europeans seem more sensitive than Americans to such approaches, given the analogous metaphor of German eugenics. HISTORICAL SYNOPSIS Overall the â€Å"biotech revolution† that is presently trying to overturn 12,000 years of traditional and sustainable agriculture was launched in the summer of 1980 in the US. This was the result of a little-known US Supreme Court decision Diamond vs. Chakrabarty where the highest court decided that biological life could be legally patentable. Ananda Mohan Chakrabarty, a microbiologist and employee of General Electric (GE), developed at the time a type of bacteria that could ingest oil. GE rushed to apply for a patent in 1971. After several years of review, the US Patent and Trademark Office (PTO) turned down the request under the traditional doctrine that life forms are not patentable. Jeremy Rifkin’s organization, the Peoples Business Commission, filed the only brief in support of the ruling. GE later sued and won an overturning of the PTO ruling. This gave the go ahead to further bacterial gmo research throughout the 1970’s. Then in 1983 the first genetically-modified plant, an anti-biotic resistant tobacco was introduced. Field trials then began in 1985, and the EPA approved the very first release of a GMO crop in 1986. This was a herbicide-resistant tobacco. All of this went forward due to a regulatory green light as in 1985 the PTO also decided the Chakrabarty ruling could be further extended to all plants and seeds, or the entire plant kingdom. It then took another decade before the first genetically-altered crop was commercially introduced. This was the famous delayed-ripening â€Å"Flavr-savr† tomato approved by the FDA on May 18, 1994. The tomato was fed in laboratory trials to mice who, normally relishing tomatoes, refused to eat these lab-creations and had to be force-fed by tubes. Several developed stomach lesions and seven of the forty mice died within two weeks. Without further safety testing the tomato was FDA approved for commercialization. Fortunately, it ended up as a production and commercial failure, and was ultimately abandoned in 1996. This was the same year Calgene, the producer, began to be bought out by Monsanto. During this period also, and scouring the world for valuable genetic materials, W. R. Grace applied for and was granted fifty US patents on the neem tree in India. It even patented the indigenous knowledge of how to medicinally use the tree f(what has since been called biopiracy). Also by the close of the 20th century, about a dozen of the major US crops – including corn, soy, potato, beets, papaya, squash, tomato and cotton – were approved for genetic modification. Going a step further, on April 12, 1988, PTO issued its first patent on animal life forms (known as oncomice) to Harvard Professor Philip Leder and Timothy A. Stewart. This involved the creation of a transgenic mouse containing chicken and human genes. Since 1991 the PTO has controversially granted other patent rights involving human stem cells, and later human genes. A United States company, Biocyte was awarded a European patent on all umbilical cord cells from fetuses and newborn babies. The patent extended exclusive rights to use the cells without the permission of the donors. Finally the European Patent Office (EPO) received applications from Baylor University for the patenting of women who had been genetically altered to produce proteins in their mammary glands. Baylor essentially sought monopoly rights over the use of human mammary glands to manufacture pharmaceuticals. Other attempts have been made to patent cells of indigenous peoples in Panama, the Solomon Islands, and Papua New Guinea, among others. Thus the groundbreaking Chakrabarty ruling evolved, and within little more than two decades from the patenting of tiny, almost invisible microbes, to allow the genetic modification of virtually all terrains of life on Earth. Certain biotech companies then quickly, again with lightening speed, moved to utilize such patenting for the control of first and primarily seed stock, including buying up small seed companies and destroying their non-patented seeds. In the past few years, this has led to a near monopoly control of certain genetically modified commodities, especially soy, corn, and cotton (the latter used in processed foods when making cottonseed oil). As a result, between 70-75% of processed grocery products, as estimated by the Grocery Manufacturers of America, soon showed genetically-modified ingredients. Yet again without labeling, few consumers in the US were aware that any of this was pervasively occurring. Industry marketers found out that the more the public knew, the less they wanted to purchase GM foods. Thus a concerted effort was organized to convince regulators (or bribe them with revolving-door employment arrangements) not to require such labeling. About the 50 Harmful Effects of GM Foods This article does more than dispute the industry and certain government officials’ claims that genetically-modified (GM) foods are the equivalent of ordinary foods not requiring labeling. It offers an informative list of the vast number of alarm signals, at least fifty hazards, problems, and dangers. also interspersed are deeper philosophical discussion of how the â€Å"good science† of biotechnology can turn against us as a thano-technology, grounded in a worldview that most seriously needs to be revisied. When pesticides were first introduced, they also were heralded as absolutely safe and as a miracle cure for farmers. Only decades later the technology revealed its truer lethal implications. Here the potentially lethal implications are much broader. The following list of harms is also divided into several easily referred-to sections, namely on health, environment, farming practices, economic/political/social implications, and issues of freedom of choice. There is a concluding review of means of inner activism – philosophical, spiritual, worldview changing. Next there is a list of action-oriented, practical ideas and resources for personal, political and consumer action on this vital issue. Finally, I want the reader to know that this article is a living document, subject to change whenever new and important information becomes available. The reader is thus encouraged to return to this article as a resource, explore other parts of our site, and otherwise keep in touch with us and the Websites we link to. Most importantly please sign up for our newsletter so we can exchange vital information with you. Sign up now for our Newsletter to get invaluable updates and more HEALTH â€Å"Recombinant DNA technology faces our society with problems unprecedented not only in the history of science, but of life on Earth. It places in human hands the capacity to redesign living organisms, the products of three billion years of evolution. Such intervention must not be confused with previous intrusions upon the natural order of living organisms: animal and plant breeding†¦ All the earlier procedures worked within single or closely related species†¦ Our morality up to now has been to go ahead without restriction to learn all that we can about nature. Restructuring nature was not part of the bargain†¦ this direction may be not only unwise, but dangerous. Potentially, it could breed new animal and plant diseases, new sources of cancer, novel epidemics. † Deaths and Near-Deaths 1. Recorded Deaths from GM: In 1989, dozens of Americans died and several thousands were afflicted and impaired by a genetically modified version of the food supplement L-tryptophan creating a debilitating ailment known as Eosinophilia myalgia syndrome (EMS) . Released without safety tests, there were 37 deaths reported and approximately 1500 more were disabled. A settlement of $2 billion dollars was paid by the manufacturer, Showa Denko, Japan’s third largest chemical company destroyed evidence preventing a further investigation and made a 2 billion dollar settlement. Since the very first commercially sold GM product was lab tested (Flavr Savr) animals used in such tests have prematurely died. 2. Near-deaths and Food Allergy Reactions: In 1996, Brazil nut genes were spliced into soybeans to provide the added protein methionine and by a company called Pioneer Hi-Bred. Some individuals, however, are so allergic to this nut, they can go into anaphylactic shock (similar to a severe bee sting reaction) which can cause death. Using genetic engineering, the allergens from one food can thus be transferred to another, thought to be safe to eat, and unknowingly. Animal and human tests confirmed the peril and fortunately the product was removed from the market before any fatalities occurred. The animal tests conducted, however, were insufficient by themselves to show this. Had they alone been relied upon, a disaster would have followed. â€Å"The next case could be less than ideal and the public less fortunate,† writes Marion Nestle author of Food Politics and Safe Food, and head of the Nutrition Department of NYU in an editorial to the New England Journal of Medicine. It has been estimated that 25% of Americans have mild adverse reactions to foods (such as itching and rashes), while at least 4% or 12 million Americans have provably more serious food allergies as objectively shown by blood iImmunoglobulin E or IgE levels. In other words, there is a significant number of highly food-sensitive individuals in our general population. The percentage of young children who are seriously food-allergenic is yet higher, namely 6-8% of all children under the age of three. In addition, the incidence rates for these children has been decidedly rising. Writes Dr. Jacqueline Pongracic, head of the allergy department at Children’s Memorial Hospital in Chicago, â€Å"I’ve been treating children in the field of allergy immunology for 15 years, and in recent years I’ve really seen the rates of food allergy skyrocket. † The Center for Disease Control confirmed the spike on a US national level. Given the increased adulteration of our diets, it is no wonder at all that this is happening. Yet the FDA officials who are sacredly entrusted to safeguard the health of the general public, and especially of children, declared in 1992, under intense industry-lobbying pressure, that genetically-modified (GM) foods were essentially equivalent to regular foods. The truth is that genetically modified foods cannot ever be equivalent. They involve the most novel and technologically-violent alterations of our foods, the most uniquely different foods ever introduced in the history of modern agriculture (and in the history of biological evolution). To say otherwise affronts the intelligence of the public and safeguarding public officials. It is a bold, if not criminal deception to but appease greed-motivated corporate parties and at the direct expense and risk of the public’s health. The FDA even decided against the advice of its own scientists that there was no need at all for FDA allergy or safety testing of these most novel of all foods. This hands-off climate (as promoted by the Bush Administration and similar to what was done with the mortgage and financial industry) is a recipe for widespread social health disasters. When elements of nature that have never before been present in the human diet are suddenly introduced, and without any public safety testing or labeling notice, such as petunia flower elements in soybeans and fish genes in tomatoes (as developed by DNA Plant Technology Corporation in the 1990s), it obviously risks allergic reactions among the most highly sensitive segments of our general population. It is a well-know fact that fish proteins happen to be among the most hyper-allergenic, while tomatoes are not. Thus not labeling such genetically modified tomatoes, with hidden alien or allergenic ingredients, is completely unconscionable. The same applies to the typical GMO that has novel bacterial and viral DNA artificially inserted. Many research studies have definitively confirmed this kind of overall risk for genetically modified foods: CORN- Two research studies independently show evidence of allergenic reactions to GM Bt corn, – Farm workers exposed to genetically-modified Bt sprays exhibited extensive allergic reactions. POTATOES – A study showed genetically-modified potatoes expressing cod genes were allergenic. PEAS – A decade-long study of GM peas was abandoned when it was discovered that they caused allergic lung damage in mice. SOY – In March 1999, researchers at the York Laboratory discovered that reactions to soy had skyrocketed by 50% over the year before, which corresponded with the introduction of genetically-modified soy from the US. It was the first time in 17 years that soy was tested in the lab among the top ten allergenic foods. Cancer and Degenerative Diseases 3. Direct Cancer and Degenerative Disease Links: GH is a protein hormone which, when injected into cows stimulates the pituitary gland in a way that the produces more milk, thus making milk production more profitable for the large dairy corporations. In 1993, FDA approved Monsanto’s genetically-modified rBGH, a genetically-altered growth hormone that could be then injected into dairy cows to enhance this feature, and even though scientists warned that this resulted in an increase of IGF-1 (from (70%-1000%). IGF-1 is a very potent chemical hormone that has been linked to a 2 1/2 to 4 times higher risk of human colorectal and breast cancer. Prostate cancer risk is considered equally serious – in the 2,8. to 4 times range. According to Dr. Samuel Epstein of the University of Chicago and Chairman of the Cancer Prevention Coalition, this â€Å"induces the malignant transformation of human breast epithelial cells. † Canadian studies confirmed such a suspicion and showed active IGF-1 absorption, thyroid cysts and internal organ damage in rats. Yet the FDA denied the significance of these findings. When two award-winning journalists, Steve Wilson and Jane Akre, tried to expose these deceptions, they were fired by Fox Network under intense pressure from Monsanto. The FDA’s own experiments indicated a spleen mass increase of 40-46%- a sign of developing leukemia. The contention by Monsanto that the hormone was killed by pasteurization or rendered inactive was fallacious. In research conducted by two of Monsanto’s own scientists, Ted Elasser and Brian McBride, only 19% of the hormone was destroyed despite boiling milk for 30 minutes when normal pasteurization is 15 seconds. Canada, the European Union, Australia and New Zealand have banned rBGR. The UN’s Codex Alimentarius, an international health standards setting body, refused to certify rBGH as safe. Yet Monsanto continued to market this product in the US until 2008 when it finally divested under public pressure. This policy in the FDA was initiated by Margaret Miller, Deputy Director of Human Safety and Consultative Services, New Animal Drug Evaluation Office, Center for Veterinary Medicine and former chemical laboratory supervisor for Monsanto. This is part of a larger revolving door between Monsanto and the Bush Administration. She spearheaded the increase in the amount of antibiotics farmers were allowed to have in their milk and by a factor of 100 or 10,000 percent. Also Michael Taylor, Esq. became the executive assistant to the director of the FDA and deputy Commissioner of Policy – filling a position created in 1991 to promote the biotech industry and squelch internal dissent. There Taylor drafted a new law to undermine the 1958 enacted Delaney Amendment that so importantly outlawed pesticides and food additives known to cause cancer. In other words carcinogens could now legally be reintroduced into our food chain. Taylor was later hired as legal counsel to Monsanto, and subsequently became Deputy Commissioner of Policy at the FDA once again. On another front, GM-approved products have been developed with resistance to herbicides that are commonly-known carcinogens. Bromoxynil is used on transgenic bromoxynmil-resistant or BXN cotton. It is known to cause very serious birth defects and brain damage in rats. Glyphosate and POEA, the main ingredients in Roundup, Monsanto’s lead product are suspected carcinogens. As to other degenerative disease links, according to a study by researcher Dr. Sharyn Martin, a number of autoimmune diseases are enhanced by foreign DNA fragments that are not fully digested in the human stomach and intestines. DNA fragments are absorbed into the bloodstream, potentially mixing with normal DNA. The genetic consequences are unpredictable and unexpected gene fragments have shown up in GM soy crops. A similar view is echoed by Dr. Joe Cummins, Professor of Genetics at the University of Western Ontario, noting that animal experiments have demonstrated how exposure to such genetic elements may lead to inflammation, arthritis and lymphoma (a malignant blood disease). 4. Indirect, Non-traceable Effects on Cancer Rates: The twentieth century saw an incremental lowering of infectious disease rates, especially where a single bacteria was overcome by an antibiotic, but a simultaneous rise in systemic, whole body or immune system breakdowns. The epidemic of cancer is a major example and is affected by the overall polluted state of our environment, including in the pollution of the air, water, and food we take in. There are zillions of potential combinations for the 100,000 commonly thrust upon our environment. The real impact cannot be revealed by experiments that look at just a few controlled factors or chemicals isolates. Rather all of nature is a testing ground. Scientists a few years ago were startled that combining chemical food additives into chemical cocktails caused many times more toxic effects than the sum of the individual chemicals. More startling was the fact that some chemicals were thought to be harmless by themselves but not in such combinations. For example, two simple chemicals found in soft drinks, ascorbic acid and sodium benzoate, together form benzene, an immensely potent carcinogen. Similarly, there is the potential, with entirely new ways of rearranging the natural order with genetic mutations and that similar non-traceable influences can likewise cause cancer. We definitively know X-rays and chemicals cause genetic mutations, and mutagenic changes are behind many higher cancer rates or where cells duplicate out of control. In the US in the year 1900, cancer affected only about 1 out 11 individuals. It now inflicts 1 out of 2 men and 1 out of 3 women in their lifetime. Cancer mortality rates rose relentlessly throughout the 20th century to more than triple overall. Viral and Bacterial Illness 5. Superviruses: Viruses can mix with genes of other viruses and retroviruses such as HIV. This can give rise to more deadly viruses – and at rates higher than previously thought. One study showed that gene mixing occurred in viruses in just 8 weeks (Kleiner, 1997). This kind of scenario applies to the cauliflower mosaic virus CaMV, the most common virus used in genetic engineering – in Round Up ready soy of Monsanto, Bt-maise of Novaris, and GM cotton and canola. It is a kind of â€Å"pararetrovirus† or what multiplies by making DNA from RNA. It is somewhat similar to Hepatitis B and HIV viruses and can pose immense dangers. In a Canadian study, a plant was infected with a crippled cucumber mosaic virus that lacked a gene needed for movement between plant cells. Within less than two weeks, the crippled plant found what it needed from neighboring genes – as evidence of gene mixing or horizontal transfer.

Leni Riefenstahl Essay

Some people are swept along by events. Some individuals use events to advantage. How accurate is this statement in relation to the personality you have studied? â€Å"Leni Riefenstahl exploits events and other people to serve her own egotistical, obsessive and selfish ambition. † Leni Riefenstahl was born on the 22nd of August 1902 in Berlin. Her full name was Helene Amalie Bertha Riefenstahl. She accomplished a lot during her 101 years of living. She had successful careers as a dancer, actress, director, producer, editor, photographer, author, and mountain climber, as well as one of the world’s oldest active scuba divers. Furthermore, she has been induced as one of The 100 Most Influential Women of All Time. However her accomplishments will always be frowned upon given her association with Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party. Riefenstahl had been known to edit scenes from her life, alter details and omit events to suit her purposes. She did this so others would see her as flawless. This has been proven by her quote â€Å"reality doesn’t interest me†. When considering the above thesis statement, 2 differing perspectives arise. The first supports the thesis and is that Riefenstahl was so driven to be worldly famous and recognised that she didn’t care what the cost. The second objects the thesis and is that Riefenstahl could not have possibly predicted the purpose and effects of her films, or Hitler’s intentions for world domination. An historian who supports the first perspective is Steven Bach. In ‘The life and work of Leni Riefenstahl’ he argues that Riefenstahl was obsessed with her career and moulding her image, and that these things are the keys to understanding her behaviour throughout her life. He believes she knew more about Nazism than she would have liked people to believe. An historian who supports the second view is Audrey Salkeld. In ‘A portrait of Leni Riefenstahl’ she argues that much of the condemnation of Riefenstahl came from hindsight. According to Salkeld, Riefenstahl could not have known of the horrors that occurred under Nazism. Three influential events during Riefenstahl’s lifetime that create debate in relation to the thesis are; the direction of â€Å"Tiefland†, The Nuremburg rallies movies (Victory of faith, and Triumph of the will), and her documentary of the Berlin Olympics (Olympia). Tiefland Tiefland is a 1954 film that Leni Riefenstahl scripted, directed, starred in, and edited. She began developing the script in 1934, and shot the movie between 1940 and 1944. The film, however, was not completed by the end of World War II and eventually was finalized and released on February 11, 1954. The film was set in Spain, and so Riefenstahl needed people who looked of Spanish decent to play extras in the film. She cast a group of gypsies that were being held in a camp. These Gypsies were destined for Auschwitz, and many that appeared in the film were later murdered in concentration camps. Riefenstahl’s decision to use these extras formulates a debate. It again links back to the thesis and the points of views which arise from it. One perspective is in support of the thesis and is that Riefenstahl used the Gypsies inhumanly or immorally as she knew of their destiny, but used them anyway to create some sort of realism or authenticity to her film. Steven Bach is in support of this perspective and points out in his feature document ‘The puzzle of Leni Riefenstahl’, that Riefenstahl had publicly claimed to have seen ‘all the Gypsies who worked on Tiefland after the war. Nothing happened to a single one of them’. However, this is not true. In reality, of 48 Gypsies who can be documented, 20 died in Nazi concentration camps, most of them in Auschwitz to which they were transported almost directly from the film set. The other perspective objects to the thesis and is that Riefenstahl had no choice in using the Gypsies as extras and the decision to use them was that of the SS and was out of her control. It also says that Riefenstahl did not know of their destiny. This perspective is supported by the fact that after the war, in 1949, the tribunal that investigated Riefenstahl’s activities during the war declared she was innocent. The court stated that although there were rumours that Leni Riefenstahl used Gypsies from concentration camps for her film Tiefland,  ¬and that most of them had been killed in gas chambers, the judges found no reason to believe this and Riefenstahl was acquitted for this point once and forever. However, no gypsy who had served as an extra was present at that time in the court and with time some started to talk. Indeed, there were few survivors; many stated that family members who had played in the film had been gassed in Auschwitz shortly after having worked with Riefenstahl. The Nuremburg Rallies Films Victory of Faith was the first documentary film Leni Riefenstahl directed. She was hired despite opposition from Nazi officials who resented employing a woman and a non-Party member for that matter. Her film recounts the Fifth Party Rally of the Nazi Party, which occurred in Nuremberg from 30 August to 3 September 1933. Triumph of the Will was the other Nuremburg rally propaganda film made by Leni Riefenstahl. It chronicles the 1934 Nazi Party Congress in Nuremberg. The film contains excerpts from speeches given by various Nazi leaders at the Congress, most notably, portions of speeches by Adolf Hitler. The central theme of the film is the return of Germany as a great power, with Hitler as the True German Leader who will bring glory to the nation. Triumph of the Will was released in 1935 and rapidly became one of the best-known examples of propaganda in film history. After many years of people viewing the two Nuremburg rally movies ‘Victory of Faith and Triumph of the will’, two perspectives arise in relation to Riefenstahl’s contribution and purpose. The first perspective, which supports the thesis, is that Riefenstahl created the films knowing of their propaganda intent and potential. She took advantage of the success and popularity of the Nazis at the time, and willingly and purposely created the propaganda films to further her credentials as a film maker and to make her name well known. Author Ken Webb is in support of this perspective and in his book ‘Leni Riefenstahl 1902-2003’ (part of the ‘everything you wanted to know about†¦ but were to afraid to ask’ series. ) makes the argument that, â€Å"Riefenstahl’s film was a clear promotion of the Fuhrer Cult. A major piece of Nazi propaganda was the presentation of Hitler as a special kind of leader, capable of ending the depression, restoring German pride and leading the country into a great future. The film’s only star is Hitler. His adoring fans are there to merely worship and stare in reverential awe. The other perspective that emerges, objects to the thesis, and is that the films were not made under the intentions for Nazi propaganda, but rather just brilliant documentaries with skilful camera and film techniques that inspired people. Audrey Salkeld is in support of this view and argues that it is unfair to judge Riefenstahl through the benefit of hindsight. In 1934, no-one knew that Hitler’s regime would kill 6 million people. Riefenstahl’s films say next to nothing about racist dogma and political persecution, and Salkeld argues that it is because the rally did not do this. Salkeld also refers to Riefenstahl’s statement in Ray Muller’s 1993 film that ‘Triumph of the will’ could not be propaganda because there was no commentary telling people what to think. However, this only means that the pictures speak for themselves, and what do they say? Well according to Salkeld â€Å"She may not have set out to glorify Hitler†¦ but her feelings for him at the time were so worshipful that she could portray him only through the shining eyes of admiration†¦ the Fuhrer represented†¦ this is what she filmed. † Olympia  The International Olympic Committee granted Berlin the 1936 Olympic Games in 1931. When Hitler became chancellor in January 1933, his initial reaction was to condemn the Olympic Games as an evil invention by Jews. The minister of propaganda and enlightenment, Josef Goebbels, however convinced and informed Hitler of the media potential, and the chance to advertise to the world the successes of the new Nazi regime. This lead to the birth and was the basis of Riefenstahl’s sports documentary/propaganda film ‘Olympia,’ which premiered in Berlin on the 20th of April 1938. Like Riefenstahl’s other documentaries under the Nazi regime, this one strikes debate whether it was propaganda for Nazi ideology, or just another innocent documentary which others interpreted it as propaganda. The perspective that ‘Olympia’ was no doubt a piece of Nazi propaganda is in support of the thesis as it debates that Riefenstahl compromised her moral integrity for her own benefits and successes. Author Ken Webb is in support of this view and in his book ‘Leni Riefenstahl 1902-2003’ (part of the ‘everything you wanted to know about†¦ ut were to afraid to ask’ series. ) makes the argument that, ‘ despite its technical brilliance, it was really nothing more than a piece of Nazi propaganda. The aim of the film was to present the essence of the Nazi message, which was the primacy of race. ’ The point of view that it was just another documentary, maintains that it was just a film trying to capture the essence of Aryan superiority and the beauty of the human race. This view is in contrast to the thesis. Rainer Rother is one who believes that the film is not of Nazi propaganda. He argues that the â€Å"fascist aspects of Riefenstahl’s films do not necessarily conform to the definition of fascist art as, above all, ‘a utopian aesthetics’ – that of physical perfection. † Rother challenges the view that the film is fascist art. He claims that although Riefenstahl definitely celebrates beauty and athleticism, he then asks, that don’t the images appear too smooth? He then argues that the images as a result of being ‘too smooth’ suppress any actual effort. He questions â€Å"Can Riefenstahl’s films really contribute much to the ideologization of events which are already empathically ideological in their own right†? In rebut to the above argument, indeed the idea of the filming was to capture the beauty of the human race, and this was the prime force behind the Nazi regime. Further evidence to rebut the argument in the previous paragraph, is that the financing of her film came under the control of Goebbels’ propaganda ministry. Therefore, it makes no sense that the Nazis would give Riefenstahl 1. 5 million marks to finance a film, unless the film was for Nazi purposes, which was to create a propaganda film for them.

Modern Communication and Transportation Essay Example

Modern Communication and Transportation Essay Example Modern Communication and Transportation Essay Modern Communication and Transportation Essay Inventions and improvements of existing transport and communication systems have resulted to various changes. The cultural and social structures of various communities have greatly been influenced by modern communication and transport technologies. Additionally, the cultural integration and social lifestyles of people will be altered. For instance, if people travel across the world for business and other economic purposes, there will be a social interaction among several people with different culture which results to intermarriages. This causes variation in both culture and lifestyle because of genetic differences between the people in the marriage. Additionally, when people travel across the world, they will copy the cultures and lifestyle of other people such as language, religion and custom and try to incorporate it in their tradition and this will result to human variation (Rodrigue, 2010). Modern communication and transportation will result to differences in climate and environment. There is likelihood that the development of infrastructure across the world will result to transport related air-pollution. The people will be exposed to certain toxins and this will call for both intelligent and adaptable behavior of human beings. The changes in the human behavior will result to human variations. Modern transportation and communication can continuously impact global climate change. Despite the fact that transportation and communication brings people and goods together leading to economic benefits, it has long-term and undesirable side effects. This is particularly in terms of air pollution in urban area and emissions of greenhouse gases. Each year, the health consequences of urban air and sound pollution are very high and this results to premature deaths. Additionally, the negative effect of modern communication and transport is high on local populations especially the poor in developing world cities. The pollution and congestion in the urban areas hinders local, national and regional economic growth. Reference Rodrigue, P. (2010). Transportation and Economic Development. Retrieved August 12, 2010 from http://people. hofstra. edu/geotrans/eng/ch7en/conc7en/ch7c1en. html

Battle of Talas River - Background

Battle of Talas River - Background Few people today have even heard of the Battle of Talas River.  Yet this little-known skirmish between the army of Imperial Tang China and the Abbasid Arabs had important consequences, not just for China and Central Asia, but for the entire world. Eighth century Asia was an ever-shifting mosaic of different tribal and regional powers, fighting for trade rights, political power and/or religious hegemony. The era was characterized by a dizzying array of battles, alliances, double-crosses and betrayals. At the time, nobody could have known that one particular battle, which took place on the banks of the Talas River in present-day Kyrgyzstan, would halt the Arab and Chinese advances in Central Asia and fix the boundary between Buddhist/Confucianist Asia and Muslim Asia. None of the combatants could have predicted that this battle would be instrumental in transmitting a key invention from China to the western world: the art of paper-making, a technology that would alter world history forever. Background to the Battle For some time, the powerful Tang Empire (618-906) and its predecessors had been expanding Chinese influence in Central Asia. China used soft power for the most part, relying upon a series of trade agreements and nominal protectorates rather than military conquest to control Central Asia. The most troublesome foe faced by the Tang from 640 forward was the powerful Tibetan Empire, established by Songtsan Gampo. Control of what is now Xinjiang, Western China, and neighboring provinces went back and forth between China and Tibet throughout the seventh and eighth centuries. China also faced challenges from the Turkic Uighurs in the northwest, the Indo-European Turfans, and the Lao/Thai tribes on Chinas southern borders. The Rise of the Arabs While the Tang were occupied with all these adversaries, a new superpower rose in the Middle East. The Prophet Muhammad died in 632, and the Muslim faithful under the Umayyad Dynasty (661-750) soon brought vast areas under their sway. From Spain and Portugal in the west, across North Africa and the Middle East, and on to the oasis cities of Merv, Tashkent, and Samarkand in the east, the Arab conquest spread with astonishing speed. Chinas interests in Central Asia went back at least to 97 B.C., when the Han Dynasty general Ban Chao led an army of 70,000 as far as Merv (in what is now Turkmenistan), in pursuit of bandit tribes that preyed on early Silk Road caravans. China also had long courted trade relations with the Sassanid Empire in Persia, as well as their predecessors the Parthians. The Persians and Chinese had collaborated to quell rising Turkic powers, playing different tribal leaders off of one another. In addition, the Chinese had a long history of contacts with the Sogdian Empire, centered in modern-day Uzbekistan. Early Chinese/Arab Conflicts Inevitably, the lightning-quick expansion by the Arabs would clash with Chinas established interests in Central Asia. In 651, the Umayyads captured the Sassanian capital at Merv and executed the king, Yazdegerd III. From this base, they would go on to conquer Bukhara, the Ferghana Valley, and as far east as Kashgar (on the Chinese/Kyrgyz border today). News of Yazdegards fate was carried to the Chinese capital of Changan (Xian) by his son Firuz, who fled to China after the fall of Merv. Firuz later became a general of one of Chinas armies, and then governor of a region centered at modern-day Zaranj, Afghanistan. In 715, the first armed clash between the two powers occurred in the Ferghana Valley of Afghanistan. The Arabs and Tibetans deposed King Ikhshid and installed a man named Alutar in his place. Ikhshid asked China to intervene on his behalf, and the Tang sent an army of 10,000 to overthrow Alutar and reinstate Ikhshid. Two years later, an Arab/Tibetan army besieged two cities in the Aksu region of what is now Xinjiang, western China. The Chinese sent an army of Qarluq mercenaries, who defeated the Arabs and Tibetans and lifted the siege. In 750 the Umayyad Caliphate fell, overthrown by the more aggressive Abbasid Dynasty. The Abbasids From their first capital at Harran, Turkey, the Abbasid Caliphate set out to consolidate power over the sprawling Arab Empire built by the Umayyads. One area of concern was the eastern borderlands - the Ferghana Valley and beyond. The Arab forces in eastern Central Asia with their Tibetan and Uighur allies were led by the brilliant tactician, General Ziyad ibn Salih. Chinas western army was headed by Governor-General Kao Hsien-chih (Go Seong-ji), an ethnic-Korean commander. It was not unusual at that time for foreign or minority officers to command Chinese armies because the military was considered an undesirable career path for ethnic Chinese noblemen. Appropriately enough, the decisive clash at Talas River was precipitated by another dispute in Ferghana. In 750, the king of Ferghana had a border dispute with the ruler of neighboring Chach. He appealed to the Chinese, who sent General Kao to assist Ferghanas troops. Kao besieged Chach, offered the Chachan king safe passage out of his capital, then reneged and beheaded him. In a mirror-image parallel to what had happened during the Arab conquest of Merv in 651, the Chachan kings son escaped and reported the incident to Abbasid Arab governor Abu Muslim at Khorasan. Abu Muslim rallied his troops at Merv and marched to join Ziyad ibn Salihs army further east.  The Arabs were determined to teach General Kao a lesson... and incidentally, to assert Abbasid power in the region. The Battle of Talas River In July of 751, the armies of these two great empires met at Talas, near the modern-day Kyrgyz/Kazakh border. Chinese records state that the Tang army was 30,000 strong, while Arab accounts put the number of Chinese at 100,000. The total number of Arab, Tibetan and Uighur warriors is not recorded, but theirs was the larger of the two forces. For five days, the mighty armies clashed. When the Qarluq Turks came in on the Arab side several days into the fighting, the Tang armys doom was sealed. Chinese sources imply that the Qarluqs had been fighting for them, but treacherously switched sides midway through the battle. Arab records, on the other hand, indicate that the Qarluqs were already allied with the Abbasids prior to the conflict. The Arab account seems more likely since the Qarluqs suddenly mounted a surprise attack on the Tang formation from the rear. (If the Chinese accounts are correct, wouldnt the Qarluqs have been in the middle of the action, rather than riding up from behind? And would the surprise have been as complete, if the Qarluqs had been fighting there all along?) Some modern Chinese writings about the battle still exhibit a sense of outrage at this perceived betrayal by one of the Tang Empires minority peoples. Whatever the case, the Qarluq attack signaled the beginning of the end for Kao Hsien-chihs army. Of the tens of thousands the Tang sent into battle, only a small percentage survived. Kao Hsien-chih himself was one of the few who escaped the slaughter; he would live just five years more, before being put on trial and executed for corruption. In addition to the tens of thousands of Chinese killed, a number were captured and taken back to Samarkand (in modern-day Uzbekistan) as prisoners of war. The Abbassids could have pressed their advantage, marching into China proper. However, their supply lines were already stretched to the breaking point, and sending such a huge force over the eastern Hindu Kush mountains and into the deserts of western China was beyond their capacity. Despite the crushing defeat of Kaos Tang forces, the Battle of Talas was a tactical draw. The Arabs eastward advance was halted, and the troubled Tang Empire turned its attention from Central Asia to rebellions on its northern and southern borders. Consequences of the Battle of Talas At the time of the Battle of Talas, its significance was not clear. Chinese accounts mention the battle as part of the beginning of the end for the Tang Dynasty. That same year, the Khitan tribe in Manchuria (northern China) defeated the imperial forces in that region, and Thai/Lao peoples in what is now Yunnan province in the south revolted as well. The An Shi Revolt of 755-763, which was more of a civil war than a simple revolt, further weakened the empire. By 763, the Tibetans were able to seize the Chinese capital at Changan (now Xian). With so much turmoil at home, the Chinese had neither the will nor the power to exert much influence past the Tarim Basin after 751. For the Arabs, too, this battle marked an unnoticed turning point. The victors are supposed to write history, but in this case, (despite the totality of their victory), they did not have much to say for some time after the event. Barry Hoberman points out that the ninth-century Muslim historian al-Tabari (839-923) never even mentions the Battle of Talas River. Its not until half a millennium after the skirmish that Arab historians take note of Talas, in the writings of Ibn al-Athir (1160-1233) and al-Dhahabi (1274-1348). Nevertheless, the Battle of Talas had important consequences. The weakened Chinese Empire was no longer in any position to interfere in Central Asia, so the influence of the Abbassid Arabs grew. Some scholars quibble that too much emphasis is placed on the role of Talas in the Islamification of Central Asia. It is certainly true that the Turkic and Persian tribes of Central Asia did not all immediately convert to Islam in August of 751. Such a feat of mass communication across the deserts, mountains, and steppes would have been utterly impossible before modern mass communications, even if the Central Asian peoples were uniformly receptive to Islam. Nonetheless, the absence of any counterweight to the Arab presence allowed Abbassid influence to spread gradually throughout the region. Within the next 250 years, most of the formerly Buddhist, Hindu, Zoroastrian, and Nestorian Christian tribes of Central Asia had become Muslim. Most significant of all, among the prisoners of war captured by the Abbassids after the Battle of Talas River, were a number of skilled Chinese artisans, including Tou Houan. Through them, first the Arab world and then the rest of Europe learned the art of paper-making. (At that time, the Arabs controlled Spain and Portugal, as well as North Africa, the Middle East, and large swaths of Central Asia.) Soon, paper-making factories sprang up in Samarkand, Baghdad, Damascus, Cairo, Delhi... and in 1120 the first European paper mill was established in Xativa, Spain (now called Valencia). From these Arab-dominated cities, the technology spread to Italy, Germany, and across Europe. The advent of paper technology, along with woodcut printing and later movable-type printing, fueled the advances in science, theology, and history of Europes High Middle Ages, which ended only with the coming of the Black Death in the 1340s. Sources: The Battle of Talas, Barry Hoberman. Saudi Aramco World, pp. 26-31 (Sept/Oct 1982). A Chinese Expedition across the Pamirs and Hindukush, A.D. 747, Aurel Stein. The Geographic Journal, 59:2, pp. 112-131 (Feb. 1922). Gernet, Jacque, J. R. Foster (trans.), Charles Hartman (trans.). A History of Chinese Civilization, (1996). Oresman, Matthew. Beyond the Battle of Talas: Chinas Re-emergence in Central Asia. Ch. 19 of In the tracks of Tamerlane: Central Asias path to the 21st Century, Daniel L. Burghart and Theresa Sabonis-Helf, eds. (2004). Titchett, Dennis C. (ed.). The Cambridge History of China: Volume 3, Sui and Tang China, 589-906 AD, Part One, (1979).

Divorce and Remarriage Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Divorce and Remarriage - Case Study Example The pastor went to Greg and asked what had happened. Greg responded it was no big deal and laughed the incident off. The pastor complimented him for his discretion, and reminded Greg of two verses from Proverbs, â€Å"He that covereth a transgression seeketh love; but he that repeateth a matter separateth very friends† (17:9), and â€Å"A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger† (15:1). Greg replied that remaining calm and gentle was just what friends did for each other, and since he had known Tyrone for several years and never seen him act in anger, the whole incident really was no big deal. Pastor Tallon sought Tyrone out, led him back to the office, and shut the door. He asked Tyrone what was wrong, and after letting Tyrone speak angrily about the incident from the morning meeting, he asked again what was wrong. At this point Tyrone told the pastor, with tears in his eyes and his voice shaking, that Tyrone’s wife Rachael had been having an extramarital affair. After fifteen years of a good marriage, and serving in the church as leaders for the past six years, the couple was going to divorce because of Rachael’s affair. In Tyrone’s mind, they already had split, and the divorce was already final, even though he had just found out about the affair. Pastor Tallon asked Tyrone to come in for counseling with Rachael before doing anything drastic, and he agreed that they would try. The pastor walked with Tyrone and Rachael for several weeks of sessions, helping them speak to each other about their deepest concerns in their relationship as well as the affair. Over time, the couple made some efforts to fix what was broken in their relationship. Rachael apologized for her affair and pledged to work on her faith (in Tyrone as well as in God) to keep herself from seeking escape with another man. Tyrone agreed that he would try to be more available to talk to Rachael and support and listen to her. During one