Writer's choice Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 15

Writer's choice - Essay Example In this essay I will identify similarities and differences between European colonists and indigenous Native American ethnic groups and analyze how the most significant differences between European and Native American cultures made the conflict of two civilizations inevitable. Before the first Europeans settlers stepped on the American land, it was inhabited with more than 500 Native American tribes speaking more than 300 languages.1 In fact, Native Americans had lived in South, Central and North Americas for thousands of years already; they had their own culture, system of religious beliefs and effective societal organization. Some indigenous tribes were sedentary, while others were nomads. Many Native American ethnic groups, like Hurons and Iroquois for instance, were engaged in rivalry between each other, which made them quite similar to European colonialists that came from different competing countries. However, there were more differences between Native Americans and European newcomers than similarities. There is no doubt that European colonialists represented a much more advanced civilization. The technologies they brought to America with them impressed indigenous tribes a lot as the latter had never seen anything like that before (for instance, wea ponry, ships, household goods etc.). Europeans had showed Native American Indians how to handle horses, use cattle, taught how to operate firearms and a lot more. On the other hand, Europeans were impressed and surprised by the way Native American societies were organized because it was strikingly different from what the newcomers used to see back in Europe. The societies were bound by kingship and extended family ties. The societal organization of most of Native American tribes was matrilineal. Women owned the property and did agricultural work, while men were in charge of hunting and defense of

Major Advances in Broadcasting Essay Example for Free

Major Advances in Broadcasting Essay Civil War (1861- 1865) Personal Journalism is born. This allowed people to publish their thoughts and feelings individually. Topics not limited to slavery and racism is written by various people but sometimes not published due to limited freedom in broadcasting. 1890- Yellow Journalism enters the broadcasting arena making it possible for politicians use the power of broadcasting to win elections and cover up bad news. 1918- Edwin Howard Armstrong was able to develop a method for â€Å"amplifying extremely weal, high- frequency signals or the superheterodyne circuit† (Radio and Television). 1930’s- a circuitry was developed to eliminate static that interferes with radio reception. A static free broadcasting was formulated by means of amplitude modulation (AM) and Frequency Modulation (FM). 1950’s- transistors were invented and made broadcasting more possible. 1956- Videocassette recorders were introduced so that people can view delayed television shows. 1949- The birth of Cable television which is known for its â€Å"good reception and additional programming† (Radio and Television). 1965- Commercial Communication Satellite was first used and it was followed by orbiting transmitters. 1967- A bill was passed in the United States which enables Public Broadcasting (Andersen Gray 400). 1968- 200 million TV sets were made available worldwide. 1972- â€Å"Richard Nixon vetoes funding for public broadcasting† (Andersen Gray 400). 1978- 78% of the households own colored television. 1988- Sony introduced handheld and battery operated televisions also known as the â€Å"watchman† it is a transistorized television. 1990’s- High Density television is made available which features system for satellite transmission. HDTV has better picture and sound compared to analog televisions. 1996- Television and internet begins its competition since more people are depending on the World Wide Web rather than watching television and listening to radio news. 2000-present- more dynamic way of transmitting signals in television, radio and cable are discovered which enables people to receive information faster and clearer than before. There are live streaming features of cables and internet TVs that allows people to see what is happening on the other part of the world it shares endless fascination of everyday living. Today is an important time for Journalism in our country’s history because broadcasting is more developed. Series of advancement were made in terms of information gathering and dissemination of news. It is easier for journalists nowadays to gather vital news and making people aware of the recent events. As technology changes, journalism’s future becomes clearer and more available for people. The history of out country is now easier to trace because freedom of speech is now allowed and the country is experiencing more democracy unlike before. Broadcasting today is more convincing since no one is manipulating the issue. Today’s mass media journalism is not limited to people who are living in this country. It can also be broadcasted on other parts of the world. Works Cited: Andersen, Robin Gray, Jonathan. Battleground: The Media. USA: Greenwood Publishing, 2007. Radio Television Timeline. Great Achievements Website. Retrieved 9 March 2009 from: http://www. greatachievements. org/? id=3659

The Theological Dilemma of Pain and Suffering Essay -- The Problem Of P

The existence of pain and suffering in a world created by a good and almighty God is a fundamental theological dilemma and may be the most serious objection to the Christian religion. In the book, The Problem Of Pain , author C.S. Lewis addresses the issue of pain as a mere problem that demands a solution; he formulates it and goes about solving it. "If God were good, He would make His creatures perfectly happy, and if He were almighty He would be able to do what He wished. But the creatures are not happy. Therefore God lacks either goodness, or power, or both" (p. 16). According to Lewis, this is the problem of pain in its simplest form. In his attempt to solve the problem of pain Lewis evaluates the past and the origin of religion, he offers his interpretation of the various justifications for why pain exists in today's society, and explains how one should deal with pain in order to live out God's will in the future. This essay will examine these rationales and will conclude with a n analysis on how Lewis handles the four foundational sources for understanding the will of God through scripture, tradition, history, and modern context. Lewis evaluates the past in order to explain the problem of pain. He does this by examining the origin of religion and discussing the three elements associated with all developed religions, in addition to an added one in Christianity. The first element is the experiences of the Numinous. Humans are capable of sensing the divine and spiritual presence through the Numinous. The Numinous is a mixed feeling of awe and dread and distinct from fear. Lewis states that there are two possible views of Numinous. The first is that it is simply in the mind and serves no biological function; yet will not disa... ...ainst the traditional and historical interpretations of the scriptures in the Bible. In addition, in becomes apparent early on in his book that Lewis does not believe the Adam and Eve story can be taken seriously by his audience at a literal level in a Darwinian age. In conclusion, Lewis relies heavily on scripture, tradition, and history to explain evilness in terms of the Fall of man, to reject theories of Monism and Dualism, to justify how a good Creator could make a bad creature, and to convey the concept of hell. Conversely, Lewis relies on modern context when questioning God's omnipotence. All in all, Lewis relies to some extent on all four foundational sources in order to understand the will of God and attempt to solve the problem of pain. Works Cited Lewis, C. S. The Problem of Pain. New York: Macmillan, 1962. Print.

Alfred Hitchcocks Psycho :: Film Films Movie Movies Psycho Essays

Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho has been commended for forming the archetypical basis of all horror films that followed its 1960 release. The mass appeal that Psycho has maintained for over three decades can undoubtedly be attributed to its universality. In Psycho, Hitchcock allows the audience to become a subjective character within the plot to enhance the film's psychological effects for an audience that is forced to recognise its own neurosis and psychological inadequacies as it is compelled to identify, for varying lengths of time, with the contrasting personalities of the film's main characters. Hitchcock conveys an intensifying theme in Psycho, that bases itself on the unending subconscious battle between good and evil that exists in everyone through the audience's subjective participation and implicit character parallels.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Psycho begins with a view of a city that is arbitrarily identified along with an exact date and time. The camera, seemingly at random, chooses first one of the many buildings and then one of the many windows to explore before the audience is introduced to Marion and Sam. Hitchcock's use of random selection creates a sense of normalcy for the audience. The fact that the city and room were arbitrarily identified impresses upon the audience that their own lives could randomly be applied to the events that are about to follow.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the opening sequence of Psycho, Hitchcock succeeds in capturing the audience's initial senses of awareness and suspicion while allowing it to identify with Marion's helpless situation. The audience's sympathy toward Marion is heightened with the introduction of Cassidy whose crude boasting encourages the audience's dislike of his character. Cassidy's blatant statement that all unhappiness can be bought away with money, provokes the audience to form a justification for Marion's theft of his forty thousand dollars. As Marion begins her journey, the audience is drawn farther into the depths of what is disturbingly abnormal behaviour although it is compelled to identify and sympathize with her actions.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  It is with Marion's character that Hitchcock first introduces the notion of a split personality to the audience. Throughout the first part of the film, Marion's reflection is often noted in several mirrors and windows. Hitchcock is therefore able to create a voyeuristic sensation within the audience as it can visualise the effects of any situation through Marion's conscious mind. In the car dealership, for example, Marion enters the secluded bathroom in order to have privacy while counting her money. Hitchcock, however, with upper camera angles and the convenient placing of a mirror is able to convey the sense of an ever lingering conscious mind that makes privacy impossible. Hitchcock brings

The Human Heart

The human heart is slightly bigger than the size of ones fist. It is situated at a very safe place which is between the cage bones, i.e., in the center of the chest. Usually it is slightly on the left side of the chest but in rare cases, it can be found on the right side. Heart is responsible for the blood flow to every single part of the body by constant contraction and relaxation of cardiac muscles. This is the reason why we hear rhythmic beats all the time. Heart pumps the pure blood to the different parts of the body and then takes the deoxygenated blood from all the parts to the lungs for oxygenation. Normally in a minute the heart beats 72 times. Well, let's check out heart diagram for kids as well as for adults which can help you to understand the functioning of heart better. Parts of the Heart As you can see in the heart diagram, there are many parts in the heart. So, as we discuss the various parts, you keep checking out the parts simultaneously one by one in the given labeled diagram of the human heart. This will help you to understand the part and their functions more easily. Pericardium Human heart is covered by a double layered structure which is called as pericardium. The outer layer is associated with the major blood vessels whereas the inner layer is attached to the cardiac muscles. These layers are separated by a pericardial fluid. This covering is like a membrane which holds all the parts of the heart. Chambers Heart is divided into four chambers which are called as left atrium, left ventricle, right atrium and right ventricle. Atrium are the upper chambers of the heart whereas ventricles are the lower chambers of the heart. All these chambers are separated by a tissue layer, called as septum. Left side of the chamber is associated with the circulation of the oxygenated blood and the right side receives the deoxygenated blood from various parts of the body. Valves There are four valves in the heart namely bicuspid valve, tricuspid valve, pulmonary valve and aortic valve. They help in preventing the back flow of the blood from one chamber to other. This maintains a proper one directional blood flow through out the process. Bicuspid valve is present between the left atrium and left ventricle whereas tricuspid valve is present between the right atrium and right ventricle. Pulmonary valve behaves as a gate which stops the back flow of blood from right ventricle to the pulmonary artery which takes the deoxygenated blood to the lungs for purification. Lastly the aortic valve, this valve plays an important role in stopping the back flow of the blood from left ventricle to the aorta. Once the blood is transferred to the aorta it supplies the oxygenated blood to different parts of the body. Blood Vessels Blood vessels are the blood carriers in a human body. These play a very vital role in the supply of blood to various parts of the body. Blood vessels can be of two types, veins and arteries. All the veins (except pulmonary vein) are involved in carrying the deoxygenated blood from various parts of the body to the heart whereas all the arteries (except pulmonary artery) are involved in supplying oxygenated blood from the heart to different parts of the body. Functioning of the Heart After getting familiar with the part let's check out the functions of the heart. Well, as we all know we need oxygen to survive, but have you ever thought how this oxygen is supplied to different parts of the body? This work is done with the help of heart. Heart plays a very important role in the supply of oxygenated blood in different parts of the body. Deoxygenated blood is collected from various parts of the body and is transferred to heart. The blood enters the heart through the pulmonary valve and enters the right atrium, then it goes to the right ventricle through the tricuspid valve. From here the blood then goes to the lungs for oxygenation. Oxygenated blood is then brought back to the heart with the help of pulmonary veins and enters the left atrium. The blood then goes to the left ventricle through the bicuspid valve and then transferred to the aorta through the aortic valve for further blood circulation to different parts of the body.

Creating a Viable Healthcare Policy

Creating a Viable Healthcare Policy Free Online Research Papers An effective health care system provides quality health care needs of a country’s population. Various countries have devised a variety of health-care systems that suit the target population that a country is aiming at. According to the World Health Organization, the goals of a health care system should be to promote good health, fair financial contributions and responsible policies (W.H.O, 2000). Even though financial constraints exist, a good health care system should meet the health care needs of a population because it promotes good health and improves people’s living standards. The issue of financing a health care system is the most difficult in ensuring that a population enjoys the benefits of an effective health care system. According to Shannon (2004), a government has a variety of choices to choose from in determining how to fund the system. Shannon points out that the government can directly fund the system from the taxes it collects, through insurance, donations or through voluntary contributions of the population. He also argues that whichever method a government chooses, it should be fair to the population (Shannon, 2004) The right to health care for the population has elicited heated debates. Some have argued from the perspective that health care is only a fundamental right if you one can afford it. Others have tried to link the formulation of health care policies being directly dependent on the available resources (Weisstub and Pinto’s, 2007). Many governments including the USA have been reluctant to formulate clear-cut health care policies, the reasoning being that a comprehensive health care policy for the entire population depends on the scarce resources of the country. By this, it means that some governments do not see health care as a matter of priority. Although some countries do not view a comprehensive health care policy for the population as vital, some have taken the initiative and made health care successful. One such country is France. According to a report carried out in 2000 by the World Health Organization, France emerged as one of the country that has the best health care system in the world. France has geared most of its efforts to providing effective health care policies for its population. Some of the stringent measures that the government of France has incorporated in its policies include insurance coverage to its entire population, high quality health care providers and giving patients freedom to choose the best alternatives for themselves (W.H.O, 2000). Although there may be financial constraints, countries should strive to give their population comprehensive health-care plans. Health care is a right to every human being and governments should strive to ensure that the population enjoys the benefits of an effective and fair health care system. The private sector should also be involved in helping the government and other stakeholders in realizing the goals of a comprehensive health care system for the entire population. The public also has a task in ensuring the success of a health care system. One of the ways the public can benefit is by getting involved with the government and various health care agencies to air their opinions about how the government can provide for them an effective health care system. References: Shannon, T.A. (2004). Health care policy: a reader. New York: Rowman Littlefield â€Å"The world health report 2000- Health systems: improving performance†. World Health Organization. Retrieved on September 14, 2010. From who.int/whr/2000/en/ Weisstub, D. N., Pintos, G. D. (2007).Autonomy and Human Rights in Health Care: An International Perspective. Dordrecht: Springer Research Papers on Creating a Viable Healthcare PolicyInfluences of Socio-Economic Status of Married MalesMarketing of Lifeboy Soap A Unilever ProductThe Effects of Illegal ImmigrationPETSTEL analysis of IndiaTwilight of the UAWQuebec and Canada19 Century Society: A Deeply Divided EraAppeasement Policy Towards the Outbreak of World War 2Genetic EngineeringDefinition of Export Quotas

Spanish and English Colonies essays

Spanish and English Colonies essays The Spanish government did not form successful colonies in the New World because of their obstinate desire to convert Native Americans to Christianity and their vain hunt for gold and riches. Many explorers from Spain embarked to the New World specifically to find gold and become rich. They robbed and stole from the Native Americans and raped many women native to the land. Probably even more infuriating to the Indians was the uncompromising need to convert them to Christianity. Throughout history, religion has been the one taboo that has caused more wars and hate than any other political issue. The Spanish saw no reason to form alliances; on the contrary, they treated the Native Americans very inhumanely and cruel. The Spanish enslaved all the Indians and forced them to do all the physical labor that the colonists did not want to do. After Columbus and his crew mined out large amounts of gold from Central and Southern America, their hunger for riches grew extremely. They instantly put all Indians to work and ate all their food. Many Native Americans died of exhaustion and disease. With no Indians to take care of crops, the food supply became scarce. This forced many colonists to die and evacuate the New World. The Spanish colonists did not spend enough time in the New World in order to understand the ecosystem and thus form a productive colony. Although there were several other expeditions after Columbus, all of them ended similarly or were operated in the same cruel manner. English exploration of the New World was operated distinctly from how the Spanish colonization functioned. They worked harder and sent worthy captains to operate the colonization efforts that were taking place. The best example would be Captain John Smith. Englands wise decision of appointing him commander aided in the survival of the colony. When the colonists were nearly starving ...

Battle of Peebles Farm in the Civil War

Battle of Peebles Farm in the Civil War Battle of Peebles Farm - Conflict Dates:   The Battle of Peebles Farm was fought September 30 to October 2, 1864, during the American Civil War and was part of the large Siege of Petersburg. Battle of Peebles Farm - Armies Commanders: Union Lieutenant General Ulysses S. GrantMajor General George G. MeadeMajor General Gouverneur K. Warren29,800 men Confederate General Robert E. LeeLieutenant General A.P. Hillapprox. 10,000 Battle of Peebles Farm - Background: Advancing against General Robert E. Lees Army of Northern Virginia in May 1864, Lieutenant General Ulysses S. Grant and Major General George G. Meades Army of the Potomac first engaged the Confederates at the Battle of the Wilderness.  Continuing the fighting through May, Grant and Lee clashed at Spotsylvania Court House, North Anna, and Cold Harbor.  Blocked at Cold Harbor, Grant elected to disengage and marched south to cross the James River with the goal of securing the key railroad center of  Petersburg and isolating Richmond.  Beginning their march on June 12, Grant and Meade crossed the river and began pushing towards Petersburg.  They were aided in this effort by elements of Major General Benjamin F. Butlers Army of the James. While Butlers initial assaults against Petersburg commenced on June 9, they failed to break through the Confederate lines.  Joined by Grant and Meade, subsequent attacks on June 15-18 drove the Confederates back but did not carry the city.  Entrenching opposite the enemy, Union forces began the Siege of Petersburg.  Securing his line on the Appomattox River in the north, Grants trenches extended south towards Jerusalem Plank Road.  Analyzing the situation, the Union leader concluded that the best approach would be to move against the Richmond Petersburg, Weldon, and Southside Railroads which supplied Lees army in Petersburg.  As Union troops attempted to move south and west around Petersburg, they fought several engagements including Jerusalem Plank Road (June 21-23) and Globe Tavern (August 18-21).  Additionally, a frontal assault was made against the Confederate works on July 30 at the Battle of the Crater. Battle of Peebles Farm - The Union Plan: Following the fighting in August, Grant and Meade achieved the goal of severing the Weldon Railroad.  This compelled Confederate reinforcements and supplies to disembark to the south at Stony Creek Station and move up Boydton Plank Road to Petersburg.  In late September, Grant directed Butler to mount an attack against Chaffins Farm and New Market Heights on the north side of the James.  As this offensive moved forward, he intended to push Major General Gouverneur K. Warrens V Corps west towards Boydton Plank Road with assistance on the left from Major General John G. Parkes IX Corps.  Additional support would be provided by a division from Major General Winfield S. Hancocks II Corps and a cavalry division led by Brigadier General David Gregg.  It was hoped that Butlers attack would force Lee to weaken his lines south of Petersburg to reinforce the Richmond defenses. Battle of Peebles Farm - Confederate Preparations: Following the loss of the Weldon Railroad, Lee directed that a new line of fortifications be constructed to the south to protect Boydton Plank Road.  While work on these progressed, a temporary line was built along Squirrel Level Road near Peebles Farm.  On September 29, elements of Butlers army succeeded in penetrating the Confederate line and captured Fort Harrison.  Gravely concerned about its loss, Lee began weakening his right below Petersburg to send forces north to re-take the fort.  As result, dismounted cavalry was posted to the Boydton Plank and Squirrel Level lines while those parts of Lieutenant General A.P. Hills Third Corps that remained south of the river were held back as a mobile reserve to deal with any Union incursions.   Battle of Peebles Farm - Warren Advances: On the morning of September 30, Warren and Parke moved forward.  Reaching the Squirrel Level line near Poplar Spring Church around 1:00 PM, Warren paused before directing Brigadier General Charles Griffins division to attack.  Capturing Fort Archer at the southern end of the Confederate line, Griffins men caused the defenders to break and retreat in a rapid fashion.  Having nearly had his corps badly defeated at Globe Tavern the previous month by Confederate counterattacks, Warren paused and directed his men to connect the newly-won position to the Union lines at Globe Tavern.  As a result, V Corps did not resume their advance until after 3:00 PM. Battle of Peebles Farm - The Tide Turns: Responding to crisis along the Squirrel Level Line, Lee recalled Major General Cadmus Wilcoxs division which had been en route to aid in the fighting at Fort Harrison.  The pause in the Union advance led to a gap emerging between V Corps and Parke on the left.  Increasingly isolated, XI Corps worsened their situation when its right division got ahead of the rest of its line.  While in this exposed position, Parkes men came under heavy attack by Major General Henry Heths division and that of the returning Wilcox.  In the fighting, Colonel John I. Curtins brigade was driven west towards the Boydton Plank Line where a large part of it was captured by Confederate cavalry.  The rest of Parkes men fell back before rallying at the Pegram Farm just north of the Squirrel Level Line. Reinforced by some of Griffins men, IX Corps was able to stabilize its lines and turned back the pursuing enemy.  The next day, Heth resumed attacks against the Union lines but was repulsed with relative ease.  These efforts were supported by Major General Wade Hamptons cavalry division which attempted to get in the Union rear.  Covering Parkes flank, Gregg was able to block Hampton.  On October 2, Brigadier General Gershom Motts II Corps came forward and mounted an assault towards the Boydton Plank Line.  Thought it failed to carry the enemys works, it allowed Union forces to construct fortifications close to the Confederate defenses. Battle of Peebles Farm - Aftermath: Union losses in the fighting at the Battle of Peebles Farm numbered 2,889 killed and wounded while Confederate losses totaled 1,239.  Though not decisive, the fighting saw Grant and Meade continue to push their lines south and west towards the Boydton Plank Road.  Additionally, Butlers efforts north of the James succeeded in capturing part of the Confederate defenses.  Fighting would resume above the river on October 7, while Grant waited until later in the month to attempt another effort south of Petersburg.  This would result in the Battle of Boydton Plank Road which opened on October 27.   Selected Sources National Park Service: Battle of Peebles FarmCWSAC Battle Summaries: Battle of Peebles FarmSiege of Petersburg: Battle of Peebles Farm

Assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 2

Assignment - Essay Example According to the principle, actions are right as long as they encourage happiness as a form of pleasure and they are wrong as long as they discourage happiness. The Greatest Happiness Principle articulates many ideas regarding happiness as pleasure and unhappiness as pain or lack of pleasure. Since this theory establishes that the only thing that is yearned for by an individual is happiness and pleasure, this view of life is often seen as having no greater purpose. This indicates that the only thing which one demands is pleasure thereby disregarding all higher yearnings. However, this notion implies that individuals have no other yearnings apart from pleasure. In reality, things that might satisfy the pleasure of one individual may not satisfy that of the other. Because of this some pleasures are more satisfying than others due to their intrinsically virtuous properties. Mills has describes two forms of pleasure – higher and lower – based on the characteristics of these pleasures (5-6). But what brings about the difference in characteristics? The difference in the quality, according to Mill, results from the preference of one pleasure over the other among people who are aware with the two pleasures (6). Hence, the chosen pleasure is superior to the other one because the preferred pleasure dominates the other one due to a higher quality. Relatively, the preferred pleasure is a higher pleasure because of its higher quality in terms of preference. Due to the quality differences in the numerous forms of pleasures, some pleasures are preferred over the others. Mostly, people who are aware of both higher as well as lower pleasures prefer higher pleasures in their ways of life. Higher pleasures make use of higher faculties which is why any human may not choose to switch to an animal and enjoy animal pleasures. Humans use a higher form of capacity and reasoning and that is why any unhappy human would not replace for a happy and satisfied animal unless the state of unhappiness is so severe that he may want to escape from the situation. Another theory has been presented by Immanuel Kant that relates to the question of morality. According to Kant, all the ethical philosophies are by nature comprehensive, reasonable, and objective hence the categorical is a way by which actions are assessed and they qualify as being comprehensive, rational, and reasonable. The Categorical Imperative provided a path to evaluate our actions and make ethical judgments based on the set criteria. The Categorical Imperative allows an individual to make judgments regarding his or her actions, and how an individual decides which moral principles are going to be applied. Kant described two types of imperatives including categorical and hypothetical, which defines Kant’s view of moral law and what the right action in a particular situation is. The Categorical Imperative applies to all classifications without any exceptions. Since the moral law is an essent ial obligation therefore according to Kant, it is a Categorical Imperative. That is to say, it is applicable on all moral representatives, times, and places, universally. They are always applicable due to rational reasoning rather than an empirical study. Some actions however are backed up by personal interests or motives which drive an individual to take a particular course of action. The moral worth is guided by a specific motive which decides whether an action is right or

Increased GDP and Poverty Movie Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Increased GDP and Poverty - Movie Review Example In essence, the elite and the rich have continued to impose their will along with other elements that have caused poverty. The cheap labor poses to be a problem because it does not allow families to be self-sufficient. Copenhagen was transformed through increased GDP and poverty. The video states that many businesses are keen on increasing their value and equity as organizations in commerce have cut costs and increased profit margins. Furthermore, banks have increased their capital in a hefty way by paying off cash. It is clear that businesses have cut costs, built up cash and enjoyed historically large profit margins, which is a huge element for the US Economy. Additionally, banks have reinforced their capital and are able to convert into solid liquidity. Households have reduced debt loads—some by walking away from them, others by paying them off. Many have locked in low interest rates on mortgages. Due to unemployment rates declining, consumer spending as mentioned in this article has slowly been increasing since the fiscal year started. That is a positive element undoubtedly because it stimulates the economy. Rectifying unemployment is the first solution that is the contributing element of a healthy.

The effect of minimum wage laws on income inequality Essay

The effect of minimum wage laws on income inequality - Essay Example Income inequality is one of the major problems faced by the society through out the world. It may vary in its extent from one country to another country, but is omnipresent in its existence. Several steps are required to reduce the income differences among different sections of the society. Even though effort have been made at government and non government levels, still lot of inequality in income is clearly visible which is to be managed effectively for better prosperity of mankind (Levy and Murnane, 1992). The effect of uneven distribution of income will certainly influence the income inequalities among different sections of the society. Minimum wages laws will significantly reduce these anomalies and reduce the income inequalities (David M Cutler and Lawrence F Katz,1992). However several researchers found that minimum wage laws may result in higher income inequalities (Cotterman, 1981 and Kaun, 1965). Literature has been collected from different sources relating to the origin of the minimum wages laws and their consequences in different countries. Similarly the information relating to the economic or income inequalities was also reviewed. Consequences of income inequalities and the necessity of minimum wages laws and international scenario of minimum wages were also studied and analyzed thoroughly. The positive and negative effects of minimum wages laws on income inequalities were discussed in detail. Wages are what a worker gets from money or solid appreciation of their work. This differs according to education and constitution the worker belongs to and works in. It is negotiable and thus the worker could offer more for his working time the more the appreciated he is and the effect of such behavior is the giving efficiently into the work done. If improperly done, the law has the right on the side of the customer and employer to cut

Trends in HR Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Trends in HR - Essay Example Though you have tried to support the need for HRM across border teams, I still feel that the points are insufficient. In arriving at the conclusive answer on the need for the HRM in cross border organizations, I expected you to give a lot of points and draw global examples. However, you have supported your points with the academic sources in order to bring relevancy. This is something great. Your introduction is superb. I love the fact that you have commenced your outline by clearly underlining the need for the HRM for both the large and small businesses supported with an academic sources. However, you have not been fair to the paper by just mentioning that there are many papers, books, and articles that have discussed the subject of the HRM without giving any one particular example to support your argument. The discussion of the HRM trends is something that has been exclusively touched in your outline and it actually adds more weight to your paper. Another thing that makes the paper didactic is the fact that you have drawn your recommendations on the need for the SHRM being a member of the C-Suite. However, in doing so, avoid using the word ‘must’ as this are only recommendations. I also request that you have the use of the first person in your final individual

Organization Change Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Organization Change - Essay Example Organizational change exists when a company makes a shift from its present to a desired future state. Management of change in an organization therefore involves intense planning and implementation of the change in a way that minimizes resistance from employees and cost while maximizing the effectiveness of the change effort. Oticon was well-established Danish company, which concentrated more on manufacturing hearing aids for its clients. However, despite high ranking over a long period, the company started experiencing losses and drop in sales (Nadler & Nadler, 1998). In saving the company, the new CEO Lars Kolind embarked on a mission to cut the cost to enhance reduction of expenses. With reference to Nadler’s integrated change agenda, Lars dedicated on changing the values of the company (Nadler & Nadler, 1998). Oticon initially concentrated on manufacturing high quality expensive products. As competition intensified, the sale of hearing aid products from Oticon began to drop because of the availability of lower cost products. Lars attempts were to change this perspective and ensure that Oticon products become the product of choice. Lars wanted to alter the values of the company and to shift focus on action and dialogue. Primarily, the actions were to ensure that Oticon remains creative, innovative and flexible (Nadler & Nadler, 1998). The dialogue was to involve all the employees to have fresh thinking on any latest idea that would apply to enhance Oticon’s competitive edge and profitability. A vital recommendation at times of organization change is employee involvement. The most important asset for an enterprise is its employees. It is fundamental to inform all employees of impending organizational changes. An evident explanation of every change is imperative. Informed employees will be more receptive to change, however, an employee who has no information about the change will resist it even if the change has a positive effect.

Trends in HR Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Trends in HR - Essay Example Though you have tried to support the need for HRM across border teams, I still feel that the points are insufficient. In arriving at the conclusive answer on the need for the HRM in cross border organizations, I expected you to give a lot of points and draw global examples. However, you have supported your points with the academic sources in order to bring relevancy. This is something great. Your introduction is superb. I love the fact that you have commenced your outline by clearly underlining the need for the HRM for both the large and small businesses supported with an academic sources. However, you have not been fair to the paper by just mentioning that there are many papers, books, and articles that have discussed the subject of the HRM without giving any one particular example to support your argument. The discussion of the HRM trends is something that has been exclusively touched in your outline and it actually adds more weight to your paper. Another thing that makes the paper didactic is the fact that you have drawn your recommendations on the need for the SHRM being a member of the C-Suite. However, in doing so, avoid using the word ‘must’ as this are only recommendations. I also request that you have the use of the first person in your final individual

Organisations and behaviour Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Organisations and behaviour - Essay Example Traffic lights are manufactures by Siemens and doctors in hospitals have MRI lifesaving scanning facilities made up of Siemens under the flied of advanced medical scanning technology. For instance, if we compare the organizational culture and structure of Siemens with Samsung, it will be apparent that there business structure is based on family linkages and centralization (Unisg.ch, 2013). There organizational culture is inherited by their predecessors (Dinitzen, 2010). It is also important to understand that the culture of a firm is the common way of carrying out Fof a company develops gradually. It is made by the employees that work for the company—its supervisors and staff. What the company stands for, its norms, values and motives that it seeks to acquire (its vision), are underlying aspects in establishing a dynamic culture. An effective cultural performance exists when people in the organization accepts the same belief and where they rely and value everyone’s cont ribution. Siemens’ activities are based on effective teamwork culture. This focus on the team has been well integrated by the international CEO of the company, Klaus Kleinfeld. Working in team work can significantly impact the organizational performance and this has been well understood by Siemens. The quality of its people and their teams is the most valuable asset, specifically in today’s scenario where the flow of knowledge round the world is happening with lightening pace. Unlike Samsung where the most important component of their success is innovation and procedures which they carry out to bring new products for their consumers (Forbes.com, 2013). Thus, organizational structure and culture adopted in Siemens have been a major factor in its success and is a differentiation among other multinationals. Impact of organizational culture and structure on the performance of Siemens Successful management of human resources department in the businesses is a major concern f or both the HR managers and other policy makers of the company. To gain a satisfied, committed, and well performing human resource for a business, managers must have persistency among the organizational system, structure, culture along with an appropriate strategy. Siemens strives to make all of it employees to be completely motivated and engaged in the organization and to feel themselves an important part of company success. People therefore need to know their important in the business. Keeping this notion in mind, Siemens develops precise expectations. Every employee plays a crucial role in acquiring results (Dinitzen, 2010). According to Siemens, their business effectiveness relies on the performance of each and every employee, their teams and the whole organization. Organizational structure, managerial practices, leadership and the process of decision making intervened by organizational culture, effective managerial style constructively influence employee performance. On the con trary, centralization, inadequate participation of employees in decision making, lack improvement, formalization and extreme specialization impacts the motivation of employees negatively (Macdonald, 2013). Expert guidance, decentralization, structure, adaptive culture, management activities, employee participation, collaborative management, work autonomy, safety and well-being, employee growth, and opportunities for employee development within organizational cu

Conditions for Equilibrium Essay Example for Free

Conditions for Equilibrium Essay When we say equilibrium, it is a state of balance. It is a condition where there is no change in the state of motion of a body. Equilibrium also may be at rest or moving within a constant velocity. A simple mechanical body is said to be in equilibrium if no part of it is accelerating, unless it is disturbed by an outside force. Two conditions for equilibrium are that the net force acting on the object is zero, and the net torque acting on the object is zero. Thus, the following objectives were emphasized in this experiment: to determine the equilibrant force using the force table and the omponent method, to determine the unknown forces using the first condition and second conditions for equilibrium, to locate the centre of gravity of a composite body, and to demonstrate rational equilibrium. 2. Theory Equilibrant is equal in magnitude to the resultant but oppositely directed. The first condition of equilibrium is when a body at rest or moving with uniform velocity has zero acceleration. The center of Gravity is the point where the weight of a body is assumed concentrate. The second condition of equilibrium is satisfied when the sum f all torques acting on an object about any axis equals zero. In activity 1, TA or the tension acting on the string is the weight of the pan A plus the weight added to it and multiplied to 9. 8 m/s2 TB or the tension acting on the string is the weight of the pan B plus the weight added to it and multiplied to 9. 8 m/s2 Experimental Equilibrant is the weight of the pan A plus the weight added to it. Theoretical Equilibrant= % Error = Exp. Theoretical X 100 Theoretical In activity 2, the equation Tl T2 cos e = O was used. From the equation, was derived to get the value ofT2 where, Tl is the reading on he spring scale when the pin is exactly at the middle of the ring e is the angle of the string makes with the horizontal Experimental Weight = T2 sin e Theoretical Weight= In activity 3, to check the results, the actual computation of center of gravity was used. Where XC and YC are the coordinates of the center of gravity of the circle, XS and YS of the center of gravity of the composite fgure. In activity 4, the equation was used, where, Xl is the length of the cylinder used X2 is the length of the center of gravity of the cylinder. And X3 is the length of the cylinder minus the 5. 0 cm. . Methodology There are 4 different kinds of activity in the experiment to determine the conditions for equilibrium. The materials used were the following: Force table and accessories, force board, cylinder of unknown weight, spring scale, electronic gram balance, card board, aluminum bar, cylinder of unknown weight, and protractor. For activity 1, the group used a force table, its three pans and accessories. The three pans were weighed and labeled as A, B and C. Pan A was hung at 30 degree mark and a 100g was placed on it whereas on pan B a150 g was placed and was hung at 200 degree mark. The group balanced the two tensions in the strings by placing weight on the pan C or adjusting its position in the force table to obtain the magnitude and position of the equilibrant. The theoretical equilibrant of the two tensions was solved using the component method. The group then computed the % error using the values obtained by the component method as your accepted value for magnitude as well as direction. Figure 1: Set-up for activity 1 For activity 2, a cylinder of unknown weight was suspended on the force board by means of two strings. A spring scale was then attached to one of the strings. One member of the group pulled the string horizontally until the pin was exactly at the middle of the ring. The reading on the spring scale was recorded as Tl . Another member of the group measured the angle that the other string makes with the horizontal and solved for the tension T2 of the other spring and the weight of a cylinder. Percent error was computed after. For activity 3, the group used a circle of diameter 10cm and a square of side 10 cm from the card board. The circle and the square was weighed and recorded as wc and Ws. The group determined the center f gravity of the composite fgure by using the balancing method and composite method. In balancing method, a pen was placed in the middle of the composite figure wherein the plumb method, the group used a string with a coin at the end then hung it from any point and measured where it intersects on the composite fgure. Figure 2: Balancing Method Figure 3: Plumbing Method For activity 4, the group first located the center of gravity of the aluminum bar by balancing it on a pencil. The cylinder used in activity 2 was hung 5. 0 cm from one end of the bar. Using the force board, the aluminum bar was supported by means of spring scale on the end and a string on the other end until the bar assumes a horizontal position. The group used the second condition for equilibrium to determine the weight of the bar and the tension in the string. Percent error was also computed. . Results and Discussion Activity 1 Tensions Magnitude (N) Position(0) TAI. 3105 300 1. 7962 2000 Experimental Equilibrant 0. 6241 3600 Theoretical Equilibrant 0. 5545 3560 % Error Table 1: Results of Activity 1 Table 1 shows the magnitude and the positions of the equilibrants and the tensions acting on the pans. The theoretical equilibrant of the two tensions was solved using he component method. The % error was computed using the values o btained by the component method as the accepted value for magnitude and the direction. Some factors that contributed the 13% error in this activity were the accuracy of the force table and its accessories used. Activity 2 Tl (N) 63 N (0) 440 T2 (N) 8. 7 N Experimental Weight (N) 6 N Theoretical Weight (N) 6. 3 N % Error 13. 2% Free Body Diagram of ring Table 2: Results of Activity 2 Table 2 shows the different unknown forces acting on the cylinder using the first condition for equilibrium. Some factors that contributed the 13. % error in this activity were the accuracy of the spring scale used and the pulling of the string horizontally. Activity 3 Weight of Square= 8. 36 g Weight of Circle= 6. 94 g Method Center of Gravity X- coordinate Y coordinate Plumb line Method 10 5. 2 Balancing Method 9. 55 4. 5 Computation 9. 54 5 Table 3: Results of Activity 3 Table 3 shows the x and y coordinates of the center of gravity of the component fgure using plumb line method, balancing method and the actual computation. In balancing method, a pen was placed in the middle of the composite figure wherein he plumb method, the group used a string with a coin at the end then hung it from computation was written in the manual. Activity 4 Reading of Spring Scale (N) 5 N Weight of cylinder (N) 5. 3238 N Experimental Weight of bar(N) 0. 7418 N Theoretical Weight of bar(N) 0. 7977 N % Error 7% Free Body Diagram of bar Table 4: Results of Activity 4 Table 4 shows the different unknown forces acting on the bar using the second condition for equilibrium. One factor that contributed the 7% error was due to the person holding the string at one end to make the cylinder bar in horizontal position 5. Conclusion Different activities in this experiment were accomplished to understand more about the conditions for equilibrium. Based from the results obtained by the group in the different activities, the group was able to determine the equilibrant force by using the force table and the component method. The unknown forces using the first and second conditions for equilibrium were determined. Using the square and circle fgure, the center of gravity of a composite body was located. Rotational equilibrium was demonstrated because the sum of all of the torques equals zero 6. Application 1 . State the first condition for equilibrium. If a body is in equilibrium, are there no forces acting on it? Equilibrium means the sum of all forces in all directions is equal to zero. It doesnt mean that there are no forces acting on it. It Just means that the forces that are acting on it are equal and opposite. 2. The Russell Traction system is used for a fractured femur. Identify the forces acting on the femur. If the weight hang is 5. 0 kg, find the force needed to immobilize the femur. What will supply this force? 3. What happens to the center of gravity of a person under the following situations? A. ) His upper right extremity is amputated. B. He carries all his books using the right arm only. )When ones upper right extremity is amputated, the center of gravity of the person would lean towards the right part of the body since the gravitational force on the remaining arm will push the center of gravity towards the right. b) When a person carries his books using only his right arm, the pull of gravity on the book would push the center of gravity of the body towards the left. 4. Devise a way by which you could determine your center of gravity. If the object is irregular in shape, the center of mass is always located closer to the more massive nd. Use felt pens to outline your partners body on a piece of butcher paper. Determine your partners approximate center of gravity by carefully cutting out the human outline and balancing it on your finger. Mark the center of gravity on your partners body with a piece of tape. Get a six foot piece of butcher paper and tape it feet. Mark their approximate center. Another way is to lie horizontally across the arm of a couch. The point where you are balanced is your center of gravity. 5. In general, the womens centers of gravity tend to be lower than mens. Can you explain why? Womens centers of gravity tend to be lower than mens because women have a bigger pelvis area. The skeletal structure of women make it so that their pelvis is bigger, since they will need the extra support come the time that they become pregnant, and their bodies support a baby. This means that the lower body of women is generally heavier in comparison to their whole body, as opposed to the lower body of men. This would make the center of gravity of women slightly lower, because more of their body mass is concentrated at the lower portion of their body.

Universalism and Relativism in Human Rights

Universalism and Relativism in Human Rights One of the most pertinent issues of the past twenty years has been the conflict between two different ideologies of human rights on a national scale, universalism, and cultural relativism. Universalism holds that more primitive cultures will eventually evolve to have the same system of law and rights as Western cultures. Cultural relativists hold an opposite, but similarly rigid viewpoint, that a traditional culture is unchangeable. Much like the question whether a tolerant society should tolerate intolerance, the debate between universalism and cultural relativism is more convoluted than it appears. In universalism, an individual is a social unit, possessing inalienable rights, and driven by the pursuit of self interest. In the cultural relativist model, a community is the basic social unit. Concepts such as individualism, freedom of choice, and equality are absent. It is recognized that the community always comes first. This doctrine has been exploited by many states, which decry any impositions of western rights as cultural imperialism. These states ignore that they have adopted the western nation state, and the goal of modernization and economic prosperity. Cultural relativism is in itself a very arbitrary idea, cultures are rarely unified in their viewpoints on different issues, it is always those who hold the microphone [that] do not agree (http://www.aasianst.org/Viewpoints/Nathan.htm). This discourse begs the question that in precisely what way are human rights Western. And even if they were Western in 1948, are they still Western today? Cultural relativism continues to problematize the Universal Declaration of Human Rights since it was adopted in 1948 . In fact, the problem of what universality might mean in a multicultural world haunted the United Nations Human Rights project from the beginning. As soon as news of the project became known, the American Anthropological Association, through the groups executive board, warned the Human Rights Commission through a letter against drafting a statement of rights only in terms of the values prevalent in the countries of Western Europe and America. However, while the anthropologists working from within a framework of cultural relativism issued a warning, the UNESCO Committee on the The Theoretical Bases of Human Rights offered hope by pointing out that even people who seem to be far apart in theory can agree that certain things are so terrible in practice that no one will publicly approve them and that certain things are so good in practice that no one will publicly oppose them. Whenever one group denies rights to another group within a culture, it is usually for their own benefit. Therefore human rights cannot be truly universal unless they are not bound to cultural decisions that are often not made unanimously, and thus cannot represent every individual that these rights apply to. Even though cultural relativism has great problems and a potential for abuse, universalism in its current state is not the ideal solution. Universalism is used by many Western states to negate the validity of more traditional systems of law. For example, if a tribe in Africa is ruled by a chieftain and advised by the twelve most senior villagers, is this system any less representative than the more liberal societies of the West? Is it possible to impose a universal system of human rights if the effects of social change stemming from modernization are not understood or worse yet, ignored? In non-Western societies, industrialization, capitalism, and democracy might not have been the eventual outcome of the process of cultural evolution. These ideologies have been shaped and created by Western imperialism, the slave trade, colonialism, modernization, and consumerism. Todays world shows signs of positive progress towards the universal system of human rights. The declaration of human rights occurred immediately after the atrocities committed during WWII. The globalization of human rights began when the world was awakened to the crimes committed under one government (Hitler), and the need for a more universal system of accountability and responsibility. Through a forum such as the United Nations, cultural differences are better able to be resolved, thereby paving the way for universalism while at the same time recognizing and compromising on the needs of certain cultures. The recent adoption of the International criminal court in June 1998 is an important step in enforcing and promoting the values agreed upon by the member nations. As the world becomes a smaller place with the advent of globalization, universalism makes more sense as a philosophy of human rights. In a world where many people might not be governed by national borders, having fundamen tal human rights instead of ones bound to certain cultures provides the best solution. The question of Westernness versus the universality of human rights remained a live issue throughout the process that led to the framing of the UDHR. In the 1950s the UDHR came under criticism as being Western at the hands of the newly independent states of Asia and Africa. And in the heat of the Cold War, its perceived emphasis on political and civil rights also allowed the countries of the Soviet Bloc to skewer it as such, with the Third World looking on in wonder if the white mans burden was being explouted once again to secure the white mans gain. In 1996, Prime Minister Mohammad Mahathir of Singapore famously declared: Asian values are universal values. European values are European values. (p. xi): Kishore Madhubani writes that any Asian thinker who challenged the prevailing Western ideas in contemporary social and political theory must be advocating the superiority of Asian values. Actually, the only point that most Asians were trying to make was that Asian values were not inferior. They were trying to say that there was a need for a level playing field in the new intellectual debate of the 1990s. With the advantage of historical hindsight, we can now look at those years and see that Asians were not marching out in that period to proselytize to the West, They are only reacting to Western proselytization. The Boston Sunday Globe on 29th April 2001 carried a spread entitled the BIG IDEA followed by the title: Are Human Rights Universal? Or is the West imposing its philosophy on the Rest of the World. It also carried two pieces elaborating divergent perspectives, one by Makau Mutua and the other by John Shattuck, Boston Sunday Globe, 29 April 2001, p. D8. Perhaps it is the intuition of Makau Mutua on this point which finds fuller expression in the following remarks by Upendra Baxi : The more human rights are hailed as the patrimony of the West, the greated is the inclination in most Euroamerican societies towards world hegemony. Also keener, as a result, is the intergovernmental desire in some non-Euroamerican societies to reject the underlying aspiration affirming equal worth of all human beings. not merely repressive regimes but also progressive intellectuals in these societies remain ambivalent towards contemporary human enunciations. And (as Chapter 6 illustrates) progressive Eurocentrism inclines us all towards a postmodernist crtitique of notions of human rights. Authentic intercultural, or even inter-faith, dialogue remains a casualty of warped approaches to histories of human rights ideas and practices. (p. vi of The Future of Human Rights): The principal msg of this work is that the originary authors of human rights are people in struggle and communities of resistance, which standard scholarship demotes to a lowly status Once claims to authorship stand thus pluralized, it follows simply that human rights are not the gifts of the West to the Rest; the dominant discourse is diversionary when it locates the origins of human rights in the Euroamerican tradition and experience and when it pursues endless debates over universality and relativism of human rights. (p. xiv): There is no unified Asian view in human rights and freedom of the press. These are Western concepts. Asians are obliged to react to them An understanding of the Asian reactions is clouded by the fact that many Asians feel obliged to pay at least lip service to Western values. The universalist theory of Human Rights is indeed largely based on Western philosophy and the value it places on the individual. Product of Greek philosophy, Christianity and the Enlightenment thinkers, the universalist approach to Human Rights contends that one can use nature, God, or reason to identify basic rights, inherent to every human, which pre-exist society. Jack Donnelly best summarizes the contemporary doctrine of the universalist approach by putting forward the following conclusions: 1. All humans have rights by virtue of their humanity; 2. A persons rights cannot be conditioned by gender or national or ethnic origin; 3. Human Rights exist universally as the highest moral rights, so no rights can be subordinated to another person (e.g. a husband) or an institution (e.g. the state) By contrast, cultural relativism is based on the idea that there are no objective standards by which others can be judged. The debate between universalism and relativism is as old as the history of philosophy itself and its discussion of truth. Relativism was introduced by, among others, the sophist Protagoras. He rejected objective truth by saying in so many words, later quoted by Plato: The way things appear to me, in that way they exist for me and the way things appear to you, in that way they exist for you. It is a perfect reflection of the European Enlightenment: Hobbes, Locke, Montesquieu, and Rousseau are its spiritual founding fathers. Indeed the Covenant insists on negative rights, those that limit the role of government and prevent its intrusion in ones life, privacy, and freedom of speech, religion, opinion and association. Political liberalism thus defined has been the force underlying the US Constitution and the US Bill of Rights, the French Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen and the French Constitution. It is also the emphasis of the International Human Rights legislation and thus legitimizes the efforts by the West to spread-some say impose-Western models of democracy. This is a first level of contention brought forward by cultural relativism proponents. To limit the role of government and its treatment of nationals is an interference with domestic affairs and a violation of state sovereignty, which for most of them is newly acquired and still fragile. The debate in very simple terms could read as follows: As soon as we (usually Third World countries) are granted independence and sovereignty, you (the West) introduce Human Rights and your style of government as a limit or as a condition. Indeed, the old mission civilisatrice is now replaced by the spread of multiparty democracy. Christianization, civilization, democratization: the rhetoric has changed, the interference has not. Furthermore, there is still the underlying concept that Western culture, because it legitimizes itself behind its pretension to universality, also positions itself as superior to non-western culture. Universalism becomes Westernization. A question remains, if it is westernization, then westernization for what purpose? Once again we need to look back at the history of political liberalism and its expression in the modern Human Rights doctrine. Locke cannot be separated from Adam Smith. Central to a western definition of fundamental freedoms is the right to property. Economic liberalism and political liberalism are brothers and in Western philosophy they are Siamese twins. The freedom to vote is often translated in the freedom to consume and/or the freedom to invest. It is very important that one billion Chinese be free to vote and express their opinion as long as they also choose to buy Motorolas and Marlboros. The link between Western-defined Human Rights and globalization of the economies explains the virulence of the West on the issues of fundamental freedoms. In other terms, critics agree that the universalist discourse barely hides a Western attempt to give a moral legitimization to an economic agenda. The ultimate contradiction lies in the fact that political liberalism has supported the same economic liberalism that has legitimized, for example, the Structural Adjustment Programs of the IMF. The SAPs in turn have been the catalyst for the curtailment of political freedoms and human rights in many developing countries. That the universal Human Rights discourse can disguise a hidden agenda is certainly undeniable. But does this mean by contrast that the cultural relativist discourse is agenda-free? Lets place it under scrutiny. The first level of criticism of the use of cultural relativism as an exception to universal norms, lies in the fact that bringing forward culture at a given time is to fundamentally ignore the dynamic and fluid nature of culture. Cultural relativism adopts a static definition of culture: a snapshot of a group of people and their system of meaning at a given time with the underlying assumption that they will not change. It introduces in the paradigm an element of determinism that has no factual or historical relevance. Static definitions of culture also lead to such statement as traditional ancestral ethnic hatred, which explain conflict in terms of culture, obliterating in the process all other determining parameters such as political economy. However, cultural relativisms most fundamental weakness in the work towards Human Rights lies in the conflict of interest between the people who articulate the argument and those they represent. More often than not, cultural relativism is claimed by repressive regimes whose practices have nothing to do with local or indigenous cultures but more with their own self-preservation.4 Cultural policymakers are those who can speak for the group and articulate the group values to the outside world. Such spokesmen are likely to only stress the elements insuring their position. This is especially important in multi-ethnic or multi-cultural states where not only would it be difficult to establish a national identity based on cultural values but also where one group dominates the others at best, blatantly discriminates at worst. Would someone attempt to define what is the culture in Bosnia-Herzegovina? Or in Rwanda? Culture is a construct much more so than a reality and people can always find di fferent levels of allegiance. Indeed, one critique of cultural relativism is that it leads to fragmentation. Cultural relativism as a tool is a legitimization of a behavior designed to preserve a structure of powers. In a study on Iranian women, Karen Miller illustrates that in rejecting the aspirational character if universalism, relativism merely perpetuates traditional practice. Miller insists notably on the fact that generally women have not taken a large part in determining the culture because traditionally, male activities have set the standards. In fact, violence against women seems to be common in many cultures.5 IV. Reconcilability of the Two Approaches. Neither universalism nor cultural relativism is exempt of political manipulations. Does that mean that neither view carries some validity? Furthermore, if they each carry some validity, are they mutually exclusive? To answer the first question by the affirmative-neither is valid, Human Rights paradigms are tools, therefore they do not have intrinsic values-would be reducing critical thinking to syllogism. Letas more importantly see if both notions can and should be reconciled in theory and in practice. That there exist profound differences of perceptions among cultures or groups of people according to their history, language, and economic circumstances might be true. Does that mean that there exist among them no common points? Not necessarily. It is actually quite remarkable to do a comparative textual analysis between Confucius and Locke and to see how both at different times, insist on the centrality of the concept of Humanity in defining individuals.6 4 Donnelly, Jack. 5 Miller, K. Human Rights of Women in Iran: the Universalist Approach and the Relativist Response. http://www.law.emory.edu/EILR/volumes/win96/miller.html 6 Nicoll, N. Confucianism and Human Rights, unpublished paper. Secondly, disagreeing with the content of what is now presented as universal does not have to mean that there are no values or norms universally agreed upon. Western values may not be universal but it does not mean that universal values do not exist. This leads us to a level of conciliation that would embody a true cross-cultural search of what can be universally agreed upon. Universal standards should be the goals while cultural legitimacy would offer a method. This would be made that much more relevant if those defining the culture were not those in power. The search of commonalties would (in theory) bypass the structures of power. It could forge a necessary dialectic between external attempts to build a universal system and the internal assistance of various civil societies. V. The Obstacle of Law It is precisely at this juncture that we see how the debate between universalism and relativism has contributed to perpetuate a situation that has actually hindered, more than benefited, the cause of Human Rights. The defense of Human Rights has been presented as a legal endeavor among state actors. The debate is essentially a legal debate when texts of international law are being drafted. Discussions then follow on what understanding to give to the term degrading treatment or what reservations can a domestic legislation make in the name of religion, culture or constitution (in the case of the US). The debate concentrates on the content of the legislation or its interpretation or application in domestic law, never on the means itself: the fact that there is an over reliance on law to address Human Rights issues. Actually if there is a western influence, it is to be found in that domain. Law as an absolute value is permeating the international realm. In international law nation-states are both creators and parties. In Human Rights, like in any other domain, states are not going to create universal or local structures that bypass their level of control. The western idea that a good litigation can solve all problems is also present in Human Rights doctrine. The fact is that the Human Rights legislation, which by nature of the international system lacks serious mechanism of enforcement, has acted as a smokescreen and has often diverted efforts and resources from other venues. Victory is claimed when a given country finally adopts an international treaty or adequately adapts its dom estic law, i.e. China signs the ICCPR or Kenya outlaws female circumcision. Efforts can then stop or more realistically, MFN status can be renewed. The issue of course is that most people whose rights are violated do not have equal access to the law-especially true for women in many countries. What difference would a change in the legislation make when you cannot drive or go to an urban center, or for that matter, even read? In addition, the nature itself of the existing legislation on Human Rights has indeed under western influence, favored such rights as privacy and property. The legislation has erected a wall between the public sphere and the private sphere to better protect those rights. This has been ultimately catastrophic for womens rights for most violations of women happen in the private sphere. This is really a domain where one can witness how both theories, universalism and relativism, have had a negative impact by creating a double standard. Men readily accepting western norms of respect for privacy and property and women made to bare the brunt of cultural authenticity within a private sphere made untouchable by virtue of respect for fundamental freedoms. Conclusion The debate between universalism and relativism should be a non-issue. Universal goals and cultural sensitivities can be reconciled in the establishment of realistic strategies. However the debate in its present form contributes to divert attention from more important issues. Is International Law, made by states, the right venue to improve human rights? The effective protection of Human Rights requires a transformation not only of government and laws but of the non-state institutions and practices that the present Human Rights doctrine-universal or relative-does not touch.

Beowulf (Christianity vs. Paganism) Essay -- Epic of Beowulf Essays

Christianity vs. Paganism   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the story of Beowulf, there is a noticeable struggle between Christianity and Paganism, and the characters personal battle between the two. Throughout the story the characters display actions that lead towards Paganism and Christianity. Contrary to Pagan belief Beowulf is seen as the epitome of good and beneficent to all of mankind. In Beowulf, the people showed their faith and love in God, however due to horrific events, paranoia caused them to look for a quick fix and turns them to Paganism.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The pagan elements in the epic poem Beowulf are evident in the characters superhuman personifications. Beowulf is depicted as a superhero. Beowulf takes it upon himself to save the Danes from Grendel. In his battle with Grendel, Beowulf chooses not to use weapons; he relies on his super strength. During the fight, Beowulf's strength takes over, and Beowulf wrestles with Grendel until he is able to rip one of the monster's arms out of its socket. Superhuman feats also appear in the fight with Grendel's mother. When Beowulf enters the water, he swims, without the use of oxygen, downward for an entire day before he sees the bottom. During the battle with Grendel's mother, Beowulf realizes that Unferth's sword is useless against the monster’s thick skin. He grabs an enormous sword made by giants, almost too heavy to hold, and slashes through the monster's body. This superhero strength continues into t...

The Evil Character Medea in Euripides Medea Essay -- Euripides Medea

The Evil Character Medea in Euripides' Medea Euripides created a two-headed character in this classical tragedy. Medea begins her marriage as the ideal loving wife who sacrificed much for her husband's safety. At the peak of the reading, she becomes a murderous villain that demands respect and even some sympathy. By the end, the husband and wife are left devoid of love and purpose as the tragedy closes. In Medea, a woman betrays her homeland because of her love for a man. Jason is the husband that she ferociously loves and makes sacrifices for. They have two children together: Antigone and Ismeme. In Jason's quest for the golden fleece, Medea assists him in multiple ways. One of the things she does to help their cause is bring about the death of her own brother. Certainly this is a woman who would sacrifice anything for her husband. Weigel records the fierceness of Medea's passion in his critique: "As a woman of passion, Medea is wholly committed to Jason as the object of her emotional life, whether in love or hate. When she loved Jason she did not hesitate to kill her brothe... The Evil Character Medea in Euripides' Medea Essay -- Euripides Medea The Evil Character Medea in Euripides' Medea Euripides created a two-headed character in this classical tragedy. Medea begins her marriage as the ideal loving wife who sacrificed much for her husband's safety. At the peak of the reading, she becomes a murderous villain that demands respect and even some sympathy. By the end, the husband and wife are left devoid of love and purpose as the tragedy closes. In Medea, a woman betrays her homeland because of her love for a man. Jason is the husband that she ferociously loves and makes sacrifices for. They have two children together: Antigone and Ismeme. In Jason's quest for the golden fleece, Medea assists him in multiple ways. One of the things she does to help their cause is bring about the death of her own brother. Certainly this is a woman who would sacrifice anything for her husband. Weigel records the fierceness of Medea's passion in his critique: "As a woman of passion, Medea is wholly committed to Jason as the object of her emotional life, whether in love or hate. When she loved Jason she did not hesitate to kill her brothe...

Increasing the hardware Essay

Abstract As any business grows, they are always looking to expand all aspects of  their business. With this expansion, the cost of increasing the hardware and software needed for the expansion is also increasing. Many companies are looking for ways to keep or even streamline the hardware they currently have yet expand. They want a way to have their customers log into their site and go to a central server but want all the necessary files for the customers to be stored elsewhere which will increase the speed of the server. To be successful in today’s market, many businesses are realizing the necessity of using technology. As more and more companies use more technology, their IT infrastructure cannot handle all the traffic due to the lack of available server/storage space needed to meet the increasing demands of the customers. Whether the business is small or a large corporation, finding the needed available server/storage space is becoming an ever increasing problem. Trying to solve th is problem, many businesses have begun to look for an alternative solution to store many of their business files away from their own main computers, this is called cloud storage. Think about how you have an external hard drive that you use to store files away from the hard drive of your computer, the cloud storage works in the same way. The only exception is that you do not own the external storage, you rent the storage space from someone who takes care of all the maintenance and updating of the site. JPCexpress has been operating for many years with their own internal storage capabilities and now are in the market to expand their business. The current server space that the company owns is being bogged down by the amounts of data it needs to use daily so they need a newer solution to their storage problems so that they can continue to offer their production facilities and customers the best possible service. Next day service sets this company apart from other online businesses and I will show what needs to be done to help then continue to accomplish this with a simple server space solution. Company Background JPCexpress is an innovator in the online printing industry. They use advanced technology that allows the customer to place an order and have it printed and delivered the next day. There are many online printing organizations, but JPCexpress was one of the first that offered next day delivery if you place your order by a certain time the day before. The  company was founded in 2001 that offered printing as a service so that the customer has access to all the company printing business solutions allowing them to place their orders right on the company website. The customer does not have to invest any monies into their own printing infrastructure and the staff that would be needed to maintain it. JPCexpress offers its services to many different organizations of all sizes that do not want to hassle with having internal printing capabilities. Due to the customer being able to upload all their information to help us perform the needed services, this takes up a lot of storage space. JPCexpress operates three huge warehouses that are strategically placed across the country. Within each facility, they house all the hardware and software needed to conduct the printing business along with all the hardware and software needed for the IT side of the business. The customers are able to use our site as their own so they know they will get exactly the product they want. Our teams of engineers are always introducing new services and solutions for the customers and they have them integrate the new technologies into our platform monthly. The reason we have the fastest turnaround time for online printing companies is due to the fact that our customers are able to use our site as their own to make and order their printing needs. We have become a leader in the online printing world because of our customer service, ease and speed of our online services and the fact that we guarantee you will have your order the next day if you meet the daily cut off time. Discussion of Business Problem During times of peak use, the amount of data used is overwhelming. JPCexpress is a top of the line printing business but due to our storage capabilities, we do have issues that will slow the service to our customers. This is an issue because the timing of the slowness (can prevent customers from making the cut off time for next day service) which directly relates to customer service and customer satisfaction. The main issue is that when there are many users on the system, it slows down and prevents ease of use. I think that JPCexpress could benefit from emerging technology as cloud computing or could storage. Increasing our storage capacity would prevent the system from slowing down and loss of data. Any IT department within any business always needs new ways to increase the capabilities of their current infrastructure without investing in new hardware, new licensing requirements  or having to spend the time and monies to train and hire new personnel. Due to the increasing amounts of data needed by our existing customers and the addition of new customers, members of our IT department has to manually go into the system and get rid of old files and clear any redundant data. This happens when our system becomes slow which slows the use of our production tools and this all adds up to a loss in the amount of work that can be performed. If the organization was to use cloud computing, the problem of overwhelming the system could be avoided. Cloud computing encompasses any subscription-based or pay-per-use service that, in real time over the Internet, extends its existing capabilities (Gruman, 2012). Use of the cloud could begin at our centrally located facility for trial purposes until we see if using it would be beneficial to both the customers and to our stockholders. High Level Solution For many businesses, having enough storage space to hold all the information they have acquired from their customers and the working of internal business practices is a real challenge that becoming increasingly harder. Many organizations have turned to deleting huge amounts of data to open up room for the new data they need to stay updated and to continue to provide their customers with excellent customer service. Many businesses have turned to cloud storage to help relieve this problem. Cloud storage acts as a centrally located server whose main purpose is for storage only. Using cloud storage, each of the three facilities can store and retrieve files as they are needed without investing in more infrastructure. When deciding to move to cloud storage, a few concerns will be raised. Some people think that cloud storage is less secure than local data centers and this is not true. . When the cloud host that IT manager work together the cloud host will encrypt the data and the business w ill store the keys to that encryption on it local network (Marsh, 2013). Many cloud providers offer dashboards to the client so they can log and manage the company’s data center. They can add more storage if they need and all this is completed without adding any equipment to increase storage. I have checked two of the major providers of cloud storage for pricing and flexibility. Amazon S3 is 99.9 percent reliable and it is scalable to fit your current business needs and also can be changed to fit your future needs as well (Amazon Web  Services, 2013). All data going into this cloud storage is encrypted for data security and you can decide what region you want to have your data stored in. Another excellent benefit is that once the data is entered into the cloud, it is automatically backed up in case one system fails you will lose your data. All data uploaded is for free but they do charge for each GB of data that is transferred or downloaded from the cloud. This seems pretty reasonable since we will maintain a central server with only our servers logging into the cloud to retrieve the customer information. Google cloud storage offers secure and safe cloud storage. It has configurable security controls and the cloud is flexible so that you can get what you need now and later on if you need more storage you can always add more (Google Cloud Storage, 2013). Looking between the Amazon and Google sites, they both offer the same types of features but I could not find any data that says how reliable the Google cloud is. Also, checking the pricing from the two sites, it appears that Amazon is slightly cheaper than Google is. Moving to cloud storage is a viable option to help solve latency issues and website lag due to the enormous amounts of data being transmitted over our site. Benefits of Solving the Problem Solving this problem using cloud storage will increase the speed of the servers the customers use to conduct their business. The increased speed of the server will also take the customers’ orders quickly and get them to the desired printing facility to ensure they make the cut off time for next day delivery. Implementing the cloud storage solution at only one facility will allow the business time to see if the cloud is a viable option to investing countless monies in upgrading our current facilities. Using the cloud will save us money because of the increased speed at which the customers can use the system, the speed in processing the orders and also save us money because we will not have to hire additional personnel to maintain additional hardware or pay for licensing for additional software. In an article written by Joe McKendrick for Forbes magazine, he talks about the benefits of cloud computing for a business. Cost reduction – using cloud as storage lowers transaction costs, minimizes the investment in hardware and software and also reduces the need for a huge IT staff or for adding additional personnel to manage you IT infrastructure. Cloud as storage is scalable so  you can take as much or as little as you need and then increase as your needs increases. You only pay for what you use; most uploads are free so you pay when you download data from the cloud. Businesses of all sizes will have access to more up to date technology while using the cloud. Letting someone else manage your IT for you reduces the need for expensive licenses or buying software or hardware. Business/Technical Approach Conducting thorough research before deciding which provider of the cloud services we will go with. When a cloud provider has been chosen, our CIO and his team will work with the provider to ensure we get what storage we need and also to ensure the security of the files we will move to the cloud for storage. Only have one facility use the cloud as a test case to see if it will improve the speed of our system and also to see how reliable the cloud services are. Conducting technical inspections using our IT department will ensure that we are keeping control on what goes into the cloud storage and also to help us determine if the cloud is useful. When we move older files from our servers into the cloud, we should see an immediate improvement in the speed of our system and also improvements in order processing and order filling. The IT department must ensure what files are being put in the cloud and that they are being encrypted for increased security. Also inspecting the files in storage routinely to ensure the data is not being corrupted. To ensure we do not lose any of our major customers, we will move only the older files to cloud storage to increase space on our servers. When we have determined (Senior management/CIO approval) that the cloud is a viable option to investing in hardware/software, we will move more files to the cloud in an effort to free up more space which should increase the speed even more. Also, once the one facility has proven more efficient and profitable, we will migrate another facility to cloud storage. There is no set timeframe for this to happen, we just want to ensure the cloud is meeting our needs in the ways we want it to. Using the current IT staff at the first facility to check usage and speed of the system will help us in our decision whether to stay with the cloud or invest in our own infrastructure. Business Process changes Implementing cloud storage will allow the company to store more files  without causing the system to run slow which increase productivity. This is going to be a big move for JPCexpress in the way they do business at each of their facilities. We will use the current IT department at each facility to maintain the data stored in the cloud and to ensure that only the less used files have been migrated to the cloud until its reliability has been proven. There will be one central location for all the internal storage of customer information. When the customer logs onto the site with his credentials, they will log onto our central server who will access the cloud and pull their information off for the customer to use. When the order is placed, the server will then send that order to the printing facility closet to the customer location for fast, reliable completion of the order. When the cloud is implemented for use by all facilities, the IT departments at those facilities will be reduced . Setting up a team to continually monitor the cloud for reliability and security will also be accomplished. Senior management with the CIO will have to make a decision on implementing other facilities and how that will be accomplished. Technology or business practices used to augment the solution After thorough research I have decided that implementing cloud storage is the best solution to help fix the problems at JPCexpress. Moving the files to the cloud will free up valuable space which will increase the processing speed of our current servers. The IT department will maintain our current servers and monitor how effectively the cloud is to the company. The IT department will also routinely perform inspections on our equipment to see how well it is working and also to ensure what files are being moved to the cloud. Having someone compile quarterly reports on how well the cloud implementation has helped the speed of the system and to see if it truly has increased the speed at which orders are shipped. We will not have to hire additional personnel to accomplish any of these tasks; we will use the current staff at each facility. This alone will save the company huge amounts of money. Conclusions and overall recommendations The current system that JPCexpress has, it is not capable of handling the enormous amounts of data that goes through it during peak operating times. JPCexpress will have to upgrade their current hardware/software or find other alternatives. Cloud storage is just that alternative solution.  Moving files to cloud storage will free up much needed space that will allow the system to run faster during peak operating times. Using the cloud offers different ways that it can be beneficial to the company. Using cloud instead of investing in new hardware/software to upgrade our current system will save on ongoing support, maintenance and upgrades and having to hire additional IT staff to work the new system. When switching to the cloud we will replace all the up-front expense of investing in a new system and replace that cost with a manageable monthly subscription cost. David Linthicum discusses why companies should invest in the cloud. All the upgrades and maintenance are handled by the cloud host. The software will always be current without the company having to pay for expensive licensing. The fear of cloud storage’s security being an issue is being proven invalid. Cloud providers have been working hard to prove how secure their storage is. Cloud based companies offer the highest level of customer service because they cannot afford to lose customers because they are unsatisfied with the service and with all the blogs out there, a bad review could mean countless lost customers. Every data storage center or data processing center has some downtime at some point but many cloud providers offer higher than a 99 percent reliability rate. High level implementation plan * Conduct thorough research to ensure the right cloud provider is selected * Work with provider to ensure we get the security we need and also the plan that fits the amounts of storage needed * Schedule when to transition to the cloud storage * Determine what files will initially be moved to cloud storage * Reroute all traffic from one facility to the other two * Shut down one facility and transition to the cloud * Once all files are transferred to the cloud activate the cloud * Bring the shutdown facility back on line * Test the new configuration for speed and user ability * Monitor the cloud for potential problems * Produce monthly reports as to the speed of the facility and improvements in the processing of orders Summary of Project JPCexpress’ system runs slow because each facility has access to all the files that are stored on the server. The storage problem can be handled either by investing countless monies into a new upgraded data system or to use cloud storage to alleviate this problem. Business processes are slow due to the servers being bogged down during peak hours resulting in delays in processing and delivery of orders placed by the customers. When we transition to the cloud storage we can increase the processing speed which will increase the speed of the orders being printed and then shipped to the customer. This will save on time and money because we will not have to pay additional shipping costs when we can’t meet the next day delivery. This is not meant to be a permanent solution but will benefit the company until we can determine if this is the best solution. References Amazon Web Services. (2013, Oct 1). Retrieved from Amazon Simple Storage Service (S3): http://aws.amazon.com/s3/ Google Cloud Storage. (2013, Aug 1). Retrieved from Google Cloud Platform: https://cloud.google.com/products/cloud-storage/ Gruman, G. K. (2012, Feb 2). What cloud computing really means. Retrieved from InfoWorld: http://www.infoworld.com/d/cloud-computing/what-cloud-computing-really-means Linthicum, D. (2013, June 25). Cloud adoption’s tipping has arrived. Retrieved from InfoWorld – Cloud Computing: http://www.infoworld.com/d/cloud-computing/cloud-adoptions-tipping-point-has-arrived-221335 Marsh, J. (2013, Oct 3). The Top 5 Myths about Cloud Storage. Retrieved from Formstack: http://blog.formstack.com/2013/top-5-myths-cloud-storage/ McKendrick, J. (2013, July 21). 5 Benefits of Cloud Computing you aren’t likely to see in a sales brochure. Retrieved from Forbes.com: http://www.forbes.com/sites/joemckendrick/2013/07/21/5-benefits-of-cloud-computing-you- arent-likely-to-see-in-a-sales-brochure/

Economic impact of genetically modified foods Essay

Genetic engineering has resulted to the production of genetically modified foods. It entails altering the genetic make up of plants using a set of technologies. Genes are combined from different organisms through recombinant DNA technology. Genetic engineering results to enhanced food tastes and quality. It reduces the time for maturation and can be used to increase nutrients and yields of crops. Again the crops produced are stress tolerant and they are resistant to disease and pests and herbicides. Genes are taken from one species and inserted into another to produce quality products. Genetically modified foods were first established in the 1990s with most products being Soya, cottonseed and wheat. The process could involve taking DNA from favorable organisms and inserting in a plant or crop. Biotechnology can be used to solve difficult crop production challenges where the farmers using it do not have to worry about the quality of their products. The technique is environmentally friendly and hence poses no threat to the surrounding. It does not involve emission of pollutants to the atmosphere. Farmers using biotechnology in their crop production increase their incomes and acquire economic, environmental and social benefits. (Giannakas K & Yiannanaka, 90) Although some people fear consuming genetically modified crops extensive research has been done on them to ensure that they pose no health risk to consumers. They are similar to those produced using traditional methods of breeding. Prominent scientists have also cleared the concerns that GM would be a risk to the environment. To them GM is a safe way of improving agriculture. International organizations also support this viewpoint for instance Food and Agriculture Organization (F. A. O) of the United Nations and the European Commission. Therefore people should not fear consuming GM foods as they are safe. Land is a fixed resource which can only be modified by increasing its utility. Measures ought to be taken to ensure that idle land is put to effective use. However care should be taken to ensure that harmful effects do not occur to the environment. For instance cutting trees to plant GM crops would have negative effects on the climate. Trees control the levels of carbon dioxide and consequently global warming. Population on the other hand grows at higher rates and concerns that food shortages would arise, led to the introduction of biotechnology. Through genetic modification of crops the problems of land shortages or water resources can be well contained. Smaller areas of land can be used to produce large outputs. Genetically modified foods can help farmers produce more food products which is healthy and with fewer resources. Continued research by bio-technicians is done to ensure production meets the consumer’s specific demands. It can establish plants that are drought resistant and hence can survive hostile conditions. Genetically Modified crops can increase the incomes of countries tremendously. Developing countries can adopt GM technology as it will increase the GDP Gross Domestic Product. This income can be used to improve the infrastructure facilities in the less developed countries and this would see them embrace economic growth and development. Investment in improving the transportation network would improve the basis for other industries which can now easily transport their raw materials and finished goods to appropriate destinations. (Carpenter J & Gianessi L, 67) Trade will be promoted by using GM products. Most developing countries do not have a diversified economy and they over rely on agriculture. Agriculture is a critical industry which is affected by climatic changes, pesticides and other factors like invasion by animals. With Genetic Modification one is guaranteed of quality products. Developing countries use their agricultural products to earn foreign exchange through external trading processes like exports. Problems faced by farmers are rejection of their products by foreign consumers on the basis of poor quality. GM products are enhanced to ensure that they are of high quality and consequently will not be rejected. GM products require less use of pesticides as they are not very prone to such use. This further reduces the cost of production on farmers who will not have to buy pesticides. A reduction of costs is an economic gain to farmers. Such costs would reduce the profits that farmers could have got. Extensive use of Genetically Modified soyabeans increases their contribution to reduce pesticide application. Farmers can decrease the need for tillage which can cause reduction in soil erosion and thus reduce the water treatment costs that consumers incur annually. (Giannakas K & Yiannanaka, 85) GM crop production has led to the growth of the food industry to very high levels. The demand can be categorized into consumer levels, retailing level and food processors. Using Genetically Modified products is a safe way of enhancing people’s way of life substantially by improving their health care and their environment. It supplements the traditional cross breeding methods and hence is not a new venture. It is just a modification. Poverty in developing countries can be eliminated with the use of GM. Since most of Less Developed countries have not embraced technological advancement in the agricultural industry they rely on natural processes in their production. Natural processes pose a great threat as fluctuations are bound to occur affecting the quality and quantity of products produced. GM would see such farmers at better positions to handle the impact of natural calamities of crop production in terms of quantity and quality. Hunger would be a thing of the past if GM was completely embraced. With increased crop yields the poverty levels of people in developing countries would be eliminated. They would trade the surplus both internally and externally to earn incomes which they can use to raise their living standards. With abundant food production health related problems can be solved and this further reduces the costs that would have been incurred seeking health facilities. Use of GM would ensure that there is a sustainable agricultural system. Its use in cotton production for instance in India where the greatest challenge to cotton production is insect and pest invasion can be beneficial. Implementation of GM cotton production increased the production rates to unprecedented rates. The prior losses caused by reduced quantity due to insects and pests became a thing of the past. The GM product is more resistant to the pest and can cause a reduction of pesticides by higher levels while increasing the yields to approximately 80%. This translates to savings on insecticides. Other factors held constant of prices of GM cotton were relatively the same with those of non GM then there would be increased revenues earned. Sustainable agriculture is the key to food security. Population levels are projected to the distribution of resources among nations affect the way the market forces operate. Unequal distribution of resources precipitates variations of needs between the rich and the poor. Since the poor lack resources to advance in technology so that they can shift from agricultural production to industry. Adoption of the genetically modified crops would increase the production of crop yields. Food shortages in the developing countries affect the developed countries who feel the responsibility of assisting them through donations. Bio-technological aspects are driven by the need to solve issues that are critical in the society. Development of a GM rice project would work to help reduce the rates of blindness caused by deficiencies in vitamin A. Again crops that provide other important nutrients like iron can be GM controlled. Provision of foods with effective nutrients can help improve the health standards of people. With a decrease in the demand for pesticides the firms that produce them would face stiff competition which would see their prices reduced. This will be a negative impact to pesticide producing companies. They may be forced to lay off some of their employees and at extreme situations they may close down. GM food has great potential to provide health to humans especially in developing countries. For instance use of GM banana to prevent the some diseases like hepatitis B virus. Invention of genetically modified crops that can be used for medicinal purposes would be a positive advancement. Adjusting the crop to enable it accommodate important chemicals would reduce the costs of offering medical care. Quality and better products are produced using GM and these products can survive under a wide range of climate. This would ensure more production of such goods which can be used for consumption as well as for exports and local markets. GM products are more attractive to consumers since they have been modified to suit different needs. More preference would mean higher sales when goods are placed in the markets and consequently more incomes. (Carter A. nd Guillaume G, 20) Growing GM crops without use of spray chemicals makes the crop easier for farmers to grow at reduced costs. The indirect costs would be reduced for instance the cost of labour used in spraying the pesticides as well as the environmental hazards created. Other benefits of using GM are that it is possible to enhance the quality of crops by emphasizing on the positive ones while removing the undesirable qualities. Using genetic technology is faster than using conventional breeding. Water use is also effectively reduced when pesticides are not used. GM reduces the work that would have been done if it was considered. (Carpenter J & Gianessi L, 70) Genetic engineering instills fear in people but such fears are uncalled for as they are based on prejudice and exaggerations. It has seen many people rise from poverty to grace. GM cultivation is among the most economically viable form of farming. It has led to the reduction in the emission of greenhouse gases which are responsible for global warming. This is due to the fact that the pesticides use is minimal. Production of fertilizers emits hazardous gases like nitric acid which cause the greenhouse effects. Farmers using GM crops in developing countries can afford to educate their children as well as provide for their families. Educating children especially in the developing countries is a step to breaking the vicious cycle of poverty. This is because with the investment in education overeliance in agriculture would be reduced. With GM, crops can be made to grow at shorter periods with increased desirable qualities. Drought resistant crops can be use to alleviate the famine problems in developing countries. With shorter spans of maturity crops can be used for commercial purposes earning farmers incomes. GM products can be enhanced to stay fresh for longer to allow for effective transportation. This can be done to flowers and fruits which are quite perishable. The costs of preservation can be reduced as it would not be required with the same intensity it could have been, had GM production not been considered. Again, wastage is reduced when ‘fresh’ periods are prolonged. Production of GM products can be cheaper due to the fact that they can be made firm hence consist lesser amount of water and require less amount of water when harvesting and consequently less energy in processing them to other products. For instance, tomato puree in Britain. Less energy in production caused lesser costs to the producers who charged lower prices to consumers. GM Soya helps save costs of using herbicides as weeds are controlled. (Falck-Zepeda et al, 2) Critics raise concerns that since pollen grains of GM can easily be carried to other plants through insects or wind, eventually all crops will be genetically modified. To them this will be a disastrous effect. Countries which could have greatly gained from GM, have not embraced the idea. Some, especially from the developing countries, were quick to note that GM did not help their farmers. Contamination is therefore bound to occur where GM soyabean pollen grains may be contaminated with GM maize pollens. Concerns are however raised that the profits are the main reasons for advocating for GM. Companies that engage in expensive and extensive research do so with their own vested interests of earning more income. It is argued that the motive behind their implementation is to make money and the argument placed before that GM was to help solve the food shortages. Extensive research ought to be carried out to establish the actual impact of GM so that consumers are well aware of the products they consume. Crop losses that are incurred when pests invade crops are minimized using GM because it ensures reduced insects and pests. This translates to higher revenues acquired, as there are less financial losses. Consumers are attracted to such products, as they are not linked with exposure to chemicals from pesticides. Some people shy away from crops exposed to pesticides for health reasons and they would have an option if GM crops were embraced. Another advantage of GM is that it is herbicide tolerant. Naturally it may be harder or difficult to remove weeds through tilling in some farms precipitating the need to use herbicides to control the weeds. Tilling is a time consumingactivity as well as expensive. When spraying such herbicides, care must be taken, as it would affect the entire group. All crops might be destroyed or they could be negatively affected when spraying the herbicides. GM products are not affected by the herbicides and hence their production will be better placed. They are also resistant to some disease causing organisms like fungi, bacteria and viruses. Ensuring that the plants are disease resistant will ensure the plants survival. (Falck-Zepeda et al, 2) Genetically Modified products can be made cold tolerant so that genes from a cold water fish can be used to produce crops that are more tolerant to cold temperatures. With the rise in population and fixed land for cultivation, there is need to utilize the drought stricken areas to increase their utility. GM crops are more drought resistant so that crop production is increased and it will be a step forward in ensuring that food security was attained. Land that was formerly inhabitable due to salinity or drought can be reclaimed. ( IFT, 45) The malnutrition problem in third world countries that is responsible for childhood deaths can be reduced with utilization of GM products that are enriched with appropriate vitamins. Since people in developing countries rely on the staple foods, which are mostly starch, they lack the necessary nutrients to fight malnutrition. Malnourished children are not able to successfully pursue their education and are therefore a problem to the whole country. If the developing countries suffering from this problem can embrace the Genetically Modified rice or other products that have such nutrients, their economy would grow eventually. ‘A healthy nation is wealthy nation. ’ Sicknesses associated with lack of appropriate nutrients require finances for treatment and such costs can be reduced. (Domingo L, 1749) Other concerns raised against GM production are fears that the cost of the GM products may rise uncontrollably especially if the genetic engineering firms who have invested a lot in research were to be given patent rights. They could only exist to perpetuate inequalities between the rich who could easily afford them and the poor who lack the means to attain them. Governments of respective countries ought to be keen in establishing the regulations governing the effects and approval of new GM varieties in their countries. However the tests done to verify the impacts of GM crops are run by governments but they are conducted by the GM companies themselves. The results could therefore be interfered with to give false information depending on vested interests. Gene modification is a complex activity that could cause allergies to people as they entail induction of proteins and new genes. Again the genes may be incompatible resulting to absurd effects and this raises concerns that the toxic effects could arise with the interruption of the native genetic structure. GM crops are resistant to antibiotics and there are worries that this would eventually be transferred to human beings thus affecting their health. Since GM crops are pest resistant they may lead to the extinction of some species. Chemical based farming affects wildlife especially in the farms. Birds and insects that influence the natural arable processes in the farm could have their existence affected if weeds are completely eliminated. Critics of GM foods argue that genetic engineering is not the solution to the food related problems especially in developing countries. Most people are not malnourished because of food shortages but because of its inaccessibility. Unequal distribution of resources is the main reason why some people cannot afford necessities like food. Governments of respective countries should handle the inequality issue in their country.