Women in the Illiad and the Odyssey - 1331 Words

Sarah Kirkus ENG 2423 8A March 21, 2013 Roles of Women in The Iliad and The Odyssey Homer wrote two epic poems, The Iliad and The Odyssey. The Iliad is a tragedy that tells about the battles of the Trojan War. The Odyssey is somewhat of a sequel, the story of Odysseus s travels home after the Trojan War. An article found in â€Å"The American Scholar† states, â€Å" One might begin by asking what both epics, The Iliad and The Odyssey, would be like if there were no women in them. The Trojan war would not have been fought, and Odysseus (assuming he had gone to Troy in the first place) would not have bothered to return home.† (Lefkowitz. 504) This statement alone illustrates the importance of the women portrayed in these two epics.†¦show more content†¦Motherly housewives are presented all throughout both epic poems. The Greek society believed that all women should be submissive to their father and husband. Females were designed for childbearing and performing household chores. Andromache was a prime example of a perfect, devout wife and mother in The Iliad. She was the wife to Hector and mother to Astyanax. She stood beside him and showed her true care and concern for him by begging him to withdraw from the war. â€Å" â€Å"She reminds him that, since Achilles has killed her father and brothers and her mother is dead too. â€Å"You are my father and mother and brother, and you are my young husband.†Ã¢â‚¬  (Lefkowitz. 507) She mourned greatly when he was killed. Penelope was the greatest example of a dedicated housewife and nurturing mother. She was the loving and devoted wife to Odysseus and the mother to Telemachus. She remained faithful to her husband for twenty years, not knowing if he was dead or alive and if he would ever return home. Penelope was required to raise her son alone, without a father. These years were difficult for Penelope. Even though her husband was sleeping with his seductress, Penelope used her inner strength and her own â€Å"s eductive ways† to not succumb to the suitors. This alone proved her loyalty to her husband. She often wept and mourned over her lostShow MoreRelated Reflective essays1316 Words   |  6 Pagesincongruity can be found throughout classical as well as modern comedy. Lysistrata involves this idea of incongruity through the play. The idea of women taking the akropolis was quite incongruent with the position of women at that time. This, along with the use of the elderly chorus of men, provides several comical scenes in Lysistrata, such as the one where the women empty the pitchers over the men’s heads. Incongruity is used throughout modern comedies such as the Naked Gun movies with Leslie Neilson. SomeRead MoreThe Trojan War : History Not Myth1545 Words   |  7 Pageshistories most legendary battles. This battle is told to have lasted ten years, resulting in the eventual collapse of Troy, under the siege of Greek forces. Modern knowledge of the Trojan War has survived ma inly through the account given in Homer’s Illiad, and while having proved to be a rich source of inspiration for other writers, artists, and even filmmakers in recent history, much speculation still exists surrounding his account. I will analyze modern interpretations of the Trojan War and examineRead MoreBeowulf: The Canonization of Anglo-Saxon Literature into Modern Popular Culture769 Words   |  4 Pagesaction and adventure stories! BEOWULF is the oldest surviving piece of English literature. Its an epic poem in the vein of The Odyssey and The Illiad, author unknown. It has been hailed as one of the masterpieces of the English language. Its EXCITING! (2). Despite eighteen preceding pages featuring Beowulf fighting monsters and saving beautiful women, Uslan assumes that the target audience of the comic book considers Anglo-Saxon subject matter boring and worse, educational. TheRead More The Role of Greek Gods and Goddesses in Ancient Times Essay1251 Words   |  6 PagesThe Role of Greek Gods and Goddesses in Ancient Times With all of the interesting aspects of the Odyssey, I am only going to touch on one of them. The gods and goddesses in the Odyssey of all of the deities mentioned I am only going to focus on a few. The first and most powerful of these is Zeus. Then we have Hermes, the messenger god. Last but not least of these would be Athena, the goddess of warriors. Zeus, Ruler of the gods. Zeus, father of gods and of men. His power was vast as theRead MoreComparing The And The Odyssey998 Words   |  4 Pages 2. The Illiad and the Odyssey were so important to the Greeks because they were great works of literature and contained information of past events’, much like a bible or history book. It shaped their culture and what it meant to be a human being. The events of the Illiad and the Odyssey have been reflected in plays in ancient Greece and in the attitudes of many Greeks on what it meant to be a hero at that time. 3. The city-states of Ancient Greece were organized like tiny independent countriesRead MoreThe Epic Of Epic : An Epic1126 Words   |  5 PagesNostos: Nostos is the act of returning home after a long journey. An example of it can be seen in The Odyssey, a play in which the main character, Odysseus, is constantly seen with a desire to return home or portrayed with a longing for more. For instance, when he becomes stuck on Calypso’s island, he longs to return home to his wife. Polyphemos: Polyphemos is a character found in The Odyssey. Known as a man-eating giant with an orb-shaped eye in the center of his forehead, he traps OdysseusRead MoreHeroes of the Ages1130 Words   |  5 Pagesthis connection, instead lamenting the loss of his friend, as the dominant theme of his speech, and denying that Zeus’ restoration of his honor gives him any pleasure now that Patroklos is dead.† (Zanker). This is also displayed plainly within the Illiad, â€Å"Why have you come to me here, dear heart, with all these instructions? I promise you I will do everything just as you ask. But come closer. Let us give in to grief, however briefly, in each others arms.† (Homer). Speaking of the first quality,Read MoreWomen in Society in Virgil ´s Aeneid699 Words   |  3 PagesVirgil’s Aeneid was to Rome what the Illiad and Odyssey were to Greece, a long narrative that triumphantly related heroic events in an elevated style. While Virgil’s main r eason for writing The Aeneid was to foreshadow the coming of Augustus and legitimize his rule over Rome, an underlying theme in this epic is a presence of power among women. Few of Virgil’s women characters fit the common weak and passive stereotype; instead, many are quick to react, extremely emotional and very opinionated. WhileRead MoreThe Legacy and Legend of King Arthur and Heroes of Epic Poems: A Comparative Analysis734 Words   |  3 Pagescircumstances that were significantly different than that of the heroes of epic poems. One of the key principles of being heroic is to personify a selflessness and a love for ones people. This proclivity came from a number of epic poems, including the Illiad, which details the adventures of Achilles. It was only after Achilles found out about the murder of his best friend, Patroclus, that he was moved to return to battle to avenge his friends death against Hector (Homer). Similarly, Arthur conducts mostRead MoreOdysseus : A Hero s Journey2024 Words   |  9 Pageswhether or not The Odyssey implements the Hero’s Journey. Odysseus’s journey starts out when he is ordered to partake in the Trojan War. Odysseus has to leave everything behind in Ithaca to help the entire Greek Army sack the beach fortress, Troy. Once at Troy, he fights for 10 years eventually winning the war with his cunning plan to build a horse for the Trojans as a gift, then jumping out of the horse at night time to sack the city. This is where The Iliad stops and The Odyssey begins. Odyss eus

Essay on the Enlightenment Free Essays

Enlightenment Essay The Enlightenment may have happened a long time ago, ideas of the thinkers of that era have shaped and influenced ideas of today. Thinkers like Montesquieu, Voltaire, Rousseau, and Locke may have directly influenced the government of the United States. Montesquieu argued that the best government would be one whose power was balanced between three groups of officials. We will write a custom essay sample on Essay on the Enlightenment or any similar topic only for you Order Now He thought England – which divided power between the king (who enforced laws), Parliament (which made laws), and the judges of the English courts (who interpreted laws) – was a good model of this. Separation of powers† was what Montesquieu called this idea of dividing government power into three branches. He thought it most important to create separate branches of government with equal but different powers. Because this, the government would never place too much power with one individual or group of individuals. He wrote, â€Å"When the [law making] and [law enforcement] powers are united in the same person†¦ there can be no liberty. † Montesquieu said each branch of government could limit the power of the other two branches. Therefore, no branch of the government could threaten the freedom of the people. His ideas about separation of powers became the basis for the United States Constitution. Voltaire was a French essayist, novelist, poet, and political reformer, just to name a few things. He advocated Religious and social tolerance, which are two things our own government believes in. Voltaire was a proponent of personal liberty and freedom of speech, he said the famous statement â€Å"I disagree with what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it. Freedom of speech is the first amendment in our constitution, and the fourth amendment is the right to personal liberty. One of his more controversial beliefs was the separation of church and state, which we belief in today. This belief was one of the beliefs that landed Voltaire in prison, and ultimately exile. The Social Contract was one of Rosseau’s most important ideas. Rousseau believed that society and government created a soc ial contract where their goals were freedom and benefit to the public. Government’s existence depended on the will of the people. The social order was based on general will, a shared belief in a common set of interest. He believed that in a democracy, the general will of the democratic people, expressed in the way of a majority vote, to make all the decisions. The general will was also a form of freedom, and the purpose of law was to combine the general will with the desires of the people. These ideas on democracy, general will, and freedom are found in our own government today. Locke was one of the most influential philosophers of the Enlightenment. He believed that bâ€Å"y nature men are free, and that God made it so people need a leader. He argued people have rights. Those rights include right to life, liberty, and property. He used this claim to promote the idea of the social contract, so people can enjoy there right to comfortably enjoy there lives, liberty, and property. Locke also said that governments existed to protect the people and promote public good so governments who don’t do that should be replaced  with new governments. He said people had a right to revolution. Locke also denied the idea of divine right. All these ideas are found in the constitution. The right to revolution was especially important to the colonists, because they believed the British government was not a good one, so they wanted to replace it with their own new form of government. It was a time of absolute monarchies and tyranny in Europe. The US constitution was a reaction to that, a very republican, representative constitution. Also, it was a time when people were persecuted or even exiled, for having a religious belief other than the one of the government, the constitution reacted to that. It’s also federalist because the US at the time was very decentralized in terms of communities, people wanted to retain self-governance, rather than hand it off to far away England. Many other things in the constitution were different than the beliefs of the governments in Europe, and the colonists wanted to change that. That is how the constitution reflects the times it was written in. How to cite Essay on the Enlightenment, Essay examples

Dream Job free essay sample

My dream job is to work in the world as a police officer. I have admired them since I was a little kid. I use to play cops robbers and love to arrest the criminals and put them in handcuffs. Being a police officer would allow me to do something that I have always dreamed about something I can be proud about. I got interested in this job by watching the TV show Cops. Seeing the officers in high speed foot chases is thrilling. I would be honored to receive awards while I am serving but it really doesn’t matter to me. The only thing that I want to do is help be a part of the group of people that helps keep the community safe. Many police departments require that applicants be high school graduates; an increasing number expect some college education. Applicants usually must be at least twenty-one years of age and U. So I think I could work with loans or mortgages.I think that I could easily work with all the documentation which is needed when you want to borrow money from the bank. Usually in every city is huge variety of different banks, so everything depends on you. You can try to find a place in a bank closer to your home or where ever you want to. I prefer to work in the city centre, because it is always good connection between city centre and different areas of the town. It is always easy to get a bus which goes to city centre.

Movie Crash Analysis free essay sample

Choose three characters from the movie crash and compare their relationship elements based on social status, gender dynamics, age, race and tolerance of uncertainty. The opposing characters within the movie â€Å"Crash† depict contrasting lifestyles, attitudes and behaviours. The elements of social status and gender dynamics determine the characters’ tolerance for uncertainty as well as the ways in which they react to societal situations. A situation which may be quite dramatic and life changing for one person might be minimal for another.The following characters including: Jean Cabot played by Sandra Bullock, Daniel played by Michael Dena, and Officer Ryan played by Matt Dillon will be explored throughout this paper. Sandra Bullock’s character â€Å"Jean Cabot† illustrates an unforgettable amount of fear, stress, anxiety and turmoil within the film. For Jean, an upper class, affluent, Caucasian female, it is difficult for her to accept the fact that she has been a victim of a reckless crime as she and her husband were demanded to leave their vehicle while two black males with guns, drove off leaving them terrified and without their car. We will write a custom essay sample on Movie Crash Analysis or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Jean makes it clear that the incident was in fact her fault because she knew it was going to happen. She makes it clear that she feared the two men based on their skin colour and that she initially did not say anything to her husband because she didn’t want to be implied as racist. Jean’s character shows an immense amount of anger but also a prominent stereo-typical attitude. Based on one experience Jean has had she then proceeds to discriminate against Daniel, a Mexican male who comes to her house to change her door locks.Daniel played by Michael Pena is a working class male in his early 30’s. He has a home and a family and is unfortunately discriminated against time and time again within the film. He is depicted within the film as having a happy life and a caring nature however, he lives in a lower-class neighborhood and can’t help many of his life circumstances. Rather than Jean being the victim it could be made quite obvious that Daniel is in fact the one who is now being placed in a target position. While both Jean and Daniel are victims in their own way, their reactions are immensely diverse.Daniel is a lot more calm and collected. Although his anger shows on his face, he has strong control over his emotions. Rather than speaking up in an angry tone after Jean directs biased comments against him, he still leaves her house with poise. Officer Ryan played by Matt Dillon has a fascinating role within this film. He is a police officer who has been part of the force for quite some time. It is apparent that he has had many incidences where it could be seen as understandable for him to have certain views of individuals based on social class, colour and background.His experiences in the force have allowed him to be present in a variety of situations that have shaped the way he sees individuals. At the beginning of the film, we are made to believe that Ryan is a racist, discriminatory, arrogant cop. Although we learn throughout the movie that some of his experiences do base his strong view points on truth. This is no excuse for him however to inappropriately touch a female car passenger when questioning her and her husband for a minimal accusation. All three of these characters can be compared and contrasted based on their diverse up-bringing and life experiences.For Daniel it is apparent that he has been challenged and turned against throughout his life. However, he has learned to cope and exudes poise and compassion for others. In contrast, Officer Ryan has also been through challenging times and has been a witness to years of criminal activity. Rather than demonstrating any kind of remorse or compassion for innocent victims, he is extremely judgmental even before anyone has proven to commit illegal actions. Both Jean and Ryan share similar hypercritical attitudes towards anyone that they assume could be involved in crime.It is quite sad however, to observe Jean’s discriminatory behavior throughout the film. Particularly seeing as how she has a Mexican female housekeeper, she is still terribly biased and subjective towards others. The symbolism between Jeans relationship with her housekeeper and the way she treats others is prominent. Ironically towards the end of the film, Jean makes a strong statement pointed at her housekeeper that she in fact is her only friend, which promotes the idea that Jean could be making amends with her negative past behavior.In terms of gender dynamics, it is evident that the female characters are significantly more emotional than that of the males. Jean is tremendously expressive in her behaviour while the male roles hold more of their emotions on the inside. Social class as well as gender also has a significant effect on the way the characters display their feelings. Jean is from a far more sheltered world while Daniel has been exposed to a harsher reality. It is only natural that Ryan is confident when it comes to expecting the unexpected as that is his role in life.This is despite the fact that it was inexcusable for him to have carried an undesirable arrogance and a discriminatory attitude at every turn. Throughout â€Å"Crash† the connection between the characters is much more than circumstantial. It is in fact human nature. The movie encourages the audience to realize that we are connected in a much larger context. This context is one that includes human qualities, experiences and emotions. We are all part of one world that has developed and made its own distinctions between itself. People separate themselves based on classifications such as social status, race, age and gender. This separation was depicted clearly in the movie and was shown to create a negative, discriminatory society. The irony of it all was that the characters made it a point to separate themselves from one another yet life brought them together through circumstances and although they may have thought they were vastly different from one another, their lives were in fact very similar.

Westjet Case Anaysis Essays

Westjet Case Anaysis Essays Westjet Case Anaysis Essay Westjet Case Anaysis Essay Jet Airlines is a Calgary-based discount airline founded in 1996. Starting with only three aircrafts in 1996, the company is now â€Å"Canada’s leading high-value low-fare airline. † The management of WestJet Airlines assumes that the success of the business is anchored in the culture of the corporation and the welcoming service provided to its customers. Beddoe, the president and the CEO of WestJet, is proud of the airlines performance and the customer service it offers. He believes that the corporate culture was the key to success and the company’s attainment. WestJet’s culture is very entertaining, hassle-free, unperturbed, and relaxed. The ratings of the customer satisfaction are higher than those of the other airlines. Top management trusts and values its employees. It is assumed that having content, cheerful personnel results in a first-rate customer service. WestJet is a company that is managed â€Å"from the bottom up. † As Beddoe states, â€Å"We set some standards and expectations, but don’t interfere in how our people do their jobs. Due to the fact that the employees and the management work as a crew, WestJet management saves money on hiring additional human resources. There is no need for supervisors because the employees supervise themselves and work together towards the organization’s goal. The corporation culture is what led WestJet to their â€Å"victory. † With the success, the company came to a decision about expanding its market. With the development strategy, the risk of the culture of the company being vanished draws closer. This is the foremost problem that WestJet might face. In view of the fact that culture is what made the company successful, with it being misplaced, it would be hard for WestJet to accomplish their purpose – customer satisfaction. The involvement culture of WestJet helped it in achieving high employee performance, increasing revenue, and escalating customer service satisfaction. WestJet’s culture is based on trust and respect among all employees. Everyone is treated equally, without exceptions, regardless of the function they perform in the company. The work atmosphere is fun and enjoyable. The culture is the source of the management and the workers happiness, contentment, and what is most important the guests satisfaction. Nevertheless, what brought success to the company, may become a threat when it does not meet the employee needs. With a greater expansion, the management of WestJet would have to hire significantly more people in order to operate the company efficiently and effectively. Some people, like the example of Steve Smith, may be used to different managing style and might find it difficult or impossible to adapt to a new culture. Given that the culture is a main source of WestJet’s success, the weakening of the employees’ performance would benefit other airlines competing with WestJet. Fast expansion indicates less time for new workers to adjust to the corporation values and beliefs. This creates a problem. In order to improve the situation, WestJet would have to get to the bottom of it and implement a reasonable solution. Top management would have to decide whether it should expand the airline or not. One of the alternatives could be offering instruction and coaching the newly hired personnel. Beddoe asserts that their culture is new and hiring people who have no past experience with the airline industry is the preeminent option. While being unfamiliar with what to expect, it is easier for a prospective employee to adapt to the corporate culture and become an efficient member of the workforce. WestJet Airlines already provide coaching to their employees so they would become aware of the consequences of decisions they make. Furthermore, when precedents take place, supplementary training was supplied. Therefore, in order to sustain the corporate culture, while expand the industry, it is important that WestJet Airlines continues making additional training and coaching available to their newly hired staff members. A drawback of this alternative might be the waste of the organization’s time and money. The potential employees may seem to perfectly fit the culture of the company but then after being hired they might decide that this is not the kind of job they want to perform. This would be a sunk cost to WestJet. In addition to that, WestJet Airlines could implement a hiring process through which they could verify if a particular individual is well suited for a specific job. WestJet already endows with a special employment process using practical job previews, job simulations, and behavioral interviews for which the prospective employees cannot prepare due to the fact that such interviews test whether the person is presentable and what characteristics of his or her behavior would benefit and satisfy the needs of the company. While hiring more people needed for a fast growing industry, it is recommended that WestJet pays additional attention to the process of employing. Defining whether an individual is a perfect fit for the company determines the future success of the corporation. This option however has a drawback; during a job simulation people might act different than while performing their job due to additional stress and pressure that arises in demanding situations that come with performing specific job duties. Another alternative would be stopping or slowing the expansion down. Keeping the same size of the company would prevent the culture from being petered out. Nonetheless, different problems might arise, such as higher competition. Other airlines that base their success on various aspects other than culture grow constantly gaining a higher market share. Expansion would bring them higher profits that would allow the airlines offer their customers unbeatable ticket prices, loyalty programs, and other numerous deals. Moreover, without implementing the expansion plan, WestJet would not be able to gain higher revenues. Therefore, the corporation would remain in the same position it is now while losing the market share. With time, the WestJet’s guests might switch to their competitors who would offer them better deals and wider travel destination selection. Taking into consideration the alternatives I proposed, the one that would benefit WestJet the most would be offering coaching and training to new employees. It is a great opportunity for both the company and the employees to have a â€Å"fresh start. † No previous experience, no particular habits and tendencies would make it possible for the new staff members to adjust to the corporate culture faster and easier. Obtaining the most qualified individuals with special mannerism and attributes that meet the required criteria for a position at WestJet should be an imperative part of the hiring process. Picking the right employees would guarantee the WestJet’s culture to continue. The employees and the top management would be happy and that would provide a superior communication process. Great communication process means no missed opportunities, faster and efficient issue solving procedure, and leading the company effectively towards its main goal – customer satisfaction. All things considered, WestJet is a very successful company that has a potential to keep growing yet bigger and enhancing its accomplishment. In order to reach to company’s objective, they need to sustain the most important factor leading to its success – happy employees and happy guests. This can only be achieved if the business protracts its corporate culture. With the purpose of doing so, it is recommended that WestJet implements the training and coaching strategy when hiring new staff members and makes sure that the individuals the hire fit the company’s beliefs and values. As soon as they reach that goal, the process of expansion should not have any effect on the success of the company.

28 delitos agravados y graves consecuencias migratorias

28 delitos agravados y graves consecuencias migratorias Los delitos agravados, conocidos en inglà ©s como aggravated felony, son una categorà ­a de acciones- algunos felonà ­as, otros no- con consecuencias migratorias gravà ­simas. Por eso es necesario que todos los extranjero en Estados Unidos, incluidos los residentes permanentes legales, los indocumentados y las personas con visas no inmigrante o situaciones particulares como asilados, sepan cules son estos delitos agravados y quà © sucede cuando una persona ha sido condenada por uno de ellos. En este artà ­culo puedes enterarte de quià ©n decide quà © son delitos agravados, quà © acciones son calificadas asà ­, quà © se debe hacer si te acusan de uno y cules son las consecuencias desde el punto de vista de inmigracià ³n.  ¿Quià ©n decide lo que es un delito agravado? El Congreso de los Estados Unidos es quien decide quà © accià ³n es un delito agravado. Al principio sà ³lo los delitos ms graves tenà ­an esta consideracià ³n, como por ejemplo el asesinato, el homicidio, el trfico ilà ­cito de armas o el trfico de drogas. Sin embargo, con el paso de los aà ±os se fueron incluyendo otros no tan graves, incluso acciones que en algunos estados ni siquiera son delitos (felonies) y son simplemente consideradas como faltas, que se conocen en inglà ©s como misdemeanors. Adems, hay que tener en cuenta que en el momento en el que el Congreso decide que una accià ³n es delito agravado, si la has cometido incluso antes de ese momento, te conviertes automticamente en deportable. La à ºnica excepcià ³n son  los casos en los que expresamente el Congreso dice que la inclusià ³n de una nueva accià ³n en la lista de delitos agravados sà ³lo se aplicar a los que se comentan a partir de ese momento. Pero hasta este momento esto nunca ha sucedido, sino todo lo contrario: cuando se incluye en la ley migratoria una nueva accià ³n con la calificacià ³n de delito agravado aplica con carcter retroactivo, es decir, para las condenas posteriores al cambio legal y tambià ©n incluso a las condenas anteriores. Listado de acciones calificadas como delitos agravados Por sus enormes consecuencias migratorias, es muy importante saber cules son los delitos agravados o aggravated felony. Entre otros, destacan los siguientes: Abuso sexual de menores- Aquà ­ hay que tener muy en consideracià ³n las leyes de cada estado. Por ejemplo, puede suceder que se considere abuso sexual una relacià ³n consentida entre una persona de 17 aà ±os y otra de 16. Hay que estar muy atentos a las edades de consentimiento.Pornografà ­a infantilViolacià ³n y asesinatoDelitos violentos con una pena superior al aà ±o de prisià ³n.Robo y allanamiento de morada con condenas superiores a un aà ±o.Evasià ³n fiscal por encima de los $200,000, lavado de dinero y trfico en documentos fraudulentos asà ­ como revelacià ³n de informacià ³n relacionada con la seguridad nacionalPerjurio y obstruccià ³n a la Justicia en los casos de condenas superiores a un aà ±o y alteracià ³n de las placas de autosDelitos de drogas por trfico o posesià ³n de drogas- Para ms informacià ³n sobre este asunto se puede consultar la INA,  la  ley que regula Inmigracià ³n y Naturalizacià ³n, ya que hay una excepcià ³n para una à ºnica pos esià ³n para consumo propio de marihuana cuando la cantidad sea inferior a 30 gramos Peticià ³n de rescates, sobornos o fraude cometido contra otra persona o el Gobierno por un monto superior a $10,000Reentrar en el paà ­s sin permiso despuà ©s de haber sido deportado. Adems, puede ser castigado hasta 2 aà ±os de crcel.Pertenencia a una mafiaFalsificacià ³n de dineroTrfico de armas o material explosivoTrfico ilegal de extranjerosNo comparecer en corte cuando se est juzgando un crimen por el que la sentencia puede ser superior a los dos aà ±osPosesià ³n de un arma sin licencia (hay una posible excepcià ³n para los residentes permanentes)Presentar una planilla de impuestos falsa (tax return)Asalto (battery)- En algunos estados es necesario un abuso fà ­sico grave o golpear duramente para cometer este delito. En otros estados, acciones que alguna gente cree que no son graves como jalar (halar, tirar) el cabello de otra persona es un delito de asalto.La violencia domà ©stica puede ser calificada de delito agravado o de inmoral. Es muy importante saber cà ³mo s e califica en un caso concreto porque las consecuencias pueden muy distintas Desde el punto de vista de inmigracià ³n, los delitos agravados tienen consecuencias negativas tanto si te condenan como autor o por haber conspirado para cometerlos, aunque no se llegaran a cometer y quedaran en grado de tentativa o de frustracià ³n. Quà © hacer ante una acusacià ³n de un delito o accià ³n que puede ser calificada como delito agravado Buscar un abogado criminalista que entienda las consecuencias migratorias. El objetivo prioritario es evitar una condena por una accià ³n que las leyes de Inmigracià ³n califican como delito agravado. Incluso pueden ser necesarios dos abogados, un especialista penal y otro migratorio. La lucha importante es evitar ser condenado por un delito que las leyes migratorias consideran como agravado. Quà © va a pasar inmediatamente despuà ©s de cumplir la sentencia por un delito agravado Una vez que se cumple la sentencia por el delito agravado comienza el problema con Inmigracià ³n. Pasas a estar en custodia migratoria, esto es, detenido. Y aquà ­ se van a dar dos posibilidades, dependiendo de tu situacià ³n migratoria, es decir, si eres un residente permanente legal o si no lo eres. Personas que no son residentes permanentes legales: pueden ser deportadas muy rpidamente, sin tener la opcià ³n de presentar su caso ante un juez de inmigracià ³n. En este caso, no pueden pedir asilo, ni tampoco una cancelacià ³n de la deportacià ³n (cancellation of removal, en inglà ©s). Salvo casos muy excepcionales tampoco puede pedir que se paralice momentneamente la deportacià ³n mediante lo que se conoce en inglà ©s como withholding of removal.Personas que son residentes permanentes legales: un juez de inmigracià ³n decidir si mientras se resuelve su caso tienen que permanecer detenidas o si se les fija una fianza o si pueden quedar libres dando su palabra de que se presentarn a Corte cuando se les cite. Si en el desarrollo del caso se decide que va a ser deportado casi no tiene opciones para luchar. Ningà ºn extranjero, ni residente permanente ni titular de una visa ni indocumentado que ha sido condenado por un delito agravado puede beneficiarse de una salida voluntaria. Una vez que se ha sido deportado por un delito agravado,  ¿cules son las consecuencias? El castigo es una prohibicià ³n para regresar a Estados Unidos de por vida. Es decir, nunca te van a dar ni una visa no inmigrante ni una visa de inmigrante (tarjeta de residencia) para regresar. La à ºnica excepcià ³n son los casos rarà ­simos en los que cumpliendo con muchos requisitos y despuà ©s de haber pasado diez aà ±os seguidos fuera de Estados Unidos se pide un perdà ³n especial directamente al Departamento de Seguridad Interna (Homeland Security Department). Tambià ©n se conoce como waiver o, en algunos paà ­ses, como permiso. La verdad es que es rarà ­simo que se apruebe esta clase de perdà ³n especial, se necesita tener un buen caso, ameritar el perdà ³n y contar con un abogado especialista con experiencia exitosa en este tipo de casos. Quà © ms hay que saber sobre la deportacià ³n Una condena por un delito agravado no es la à ºnica razà ³n por la que se puede deportar a un extranjero. Tambià ©n por otros delitos aunque no tengan ese calificativo y tambià ©n por los considerados  inmorales. Aunque en estos casos puede haber ms opciones para luchar, dependiendo del caso y las circunstancias de cada migrante. Tambià ©n es posible la deportacià ³n por faltas (misdemeanor) e incluso tambià ©n por violaciones migratorias. Si bien lo que causa peores consecuencias son los delitos agravados. Finalmente, para evitar problemas gravà ­simos, alà ©jate de las peleas y situaciones conflictivas y contrata a un abogado si te acusan de algo grave. Adems, conoce cules son las opciones para luchar contra una deportacià ³n en los casos en los que el problema NO es un delito agravado y cules son las prioridades de las autoridades para deportar a migrantes. Un castigo a los deportados por delito agravado a tener muy en cuenta Las personas que han sido deportadas por un delito agravado y regresan ilegalmente a los Estados Unidos pueden ser condenadas hasta 20 aà ±os de prisià ³n. Una vez que cumplen la condena sern de nuevo deportados. Este es un artà ­culo informativo. no es asesorà ­a legal.

Labor Relation Law and The Railway Labor Act Essay

Labor Relation Law and The Railway Labor Act - Essay Example As the report declares The guiding purpose of the Labor relations Law was to protect the worker by providing a workable vehicle by which the unionization process would be facilitated, thereby enabling collective bargaining. It (was) a reality that basic labor law did not favor labor or unions. The NLRA was ostensibly structured to provide a more equitable approach to dispute resolution. According to the paper findings The National Labor Relations Board is a five person appointed federal agency charged with conducting elections for labor union representation and with investigating and remedying unfair labor practices. The NLRB was established in 1935 through passage of the National Labor Relations Act, better known as the Wagner Act, and amended by the Taft-Hartley Act in 1947. The Board’s jurisdiction is limited to private sector employees; it has no authority over labor relations disputes involving government employees, or railroad and airline employees covered by the Railway Labor Act or agriculture employees. In those parts of the private sector it does cover, on the other hand, its jurisdiction standards are low enough to reach almost all employees whose business has any appreciable impact on interstate commerce. The Taft-Hartley Act also created a formal administrative distinction between the Board and the General Counsel of The NLRB. In broad terms, the General Counsel is responsible for investigating and prosecuting unfair labor practice claims, the Board on the other hand, is the adjudicative body that decides the unfair labor practice cases brought to it. ... and remedying unfair labor practices. The NLRB was established in 1935 through passage of the National Labor Relations Act, better known as the Wagner Act, and amended by the Taft-Hartley Act in 1947. The Board's jurisdiction is limited to private sector employees; it has no authority over labor relations disputes involving government employees, or railroad and airline employees covered by the Railway Labor Act or agriculture employees. In those parts of the private sector it does cover, on the other hand, its jurisdiction standards are low enough to reach almost all employees whose business has any appreciable impact on interstate commerce. The Taft-Hartley Act also created a formal administrative distinction between the Board and the General Counsel of The NLRB. In broad terms, the General Counsel is responsible for investigating and prosecuting unfair labor practice claims, the Board on the other hand, is the adjudicative body that decides the unfair labor practice cases brought to it. While the general Counsel has limited independence to argue for a change in the law in presenting cases to the Board, once the Board has decided the issue it is the General Counsels responsibility to 3 defend the Board's decision, even if it is contrary to the position he argued when initially presenting the case to the board. The Board is also responsible for the administration of the Acts provision governing the holding of elections and resolution of jurisdictional disputes. The Board has

Change Management of the Company Engaged in a Merger Term Paper

Change Management of the Company Engaged in a Merger - Term Paper Example Effective management of change process in an organization is vital as this determines and contributes to a successful implementation of the changes. Change implementation in an organization is a process which if well managed it can lead to a decrease in change resistance and higher productivity, competitiveness, and profitability of an organization. The management should come up with strategies to ensure that the change management process is successful. For effective change management to take place, the human resource must be highly involved it is the gear towards attaining a change in an organization. Change is naturally detested especially because of the uncertainty it leads to and as such, cases of resistance must occur. Effective management of resistance is vital in ensuring that the changing process runs smoothly and quickly. As mentioned, the management must ensure that the changes which are about to be implemented in an organization are highly appreciated by the workers. Manag ement should engage in dialogue with the workers so as to ensure changes are implemented. Training and counseling are also vital in enhancing change management in an organization (Johnson, 1992). ABC Company a high-tech company, being faced with hyper-competition decided to engage in a merger with two of its competitors. The merger required a major changing process, especially because the other two competitors were employing completely different management and production styles. This required implementation of a change management process which is explained below. Competition has been on the rise which is caused by globalization, dynamism in the technological environment and emergence of competitive companies in the market. This has necessitated constant changes in most organizations which are aimed at taking advantage of opportunities posed by the environment while at the same time minimizing costs and threats which the environment poses.

Milan Kundera’s The Unbearable Lightness of Being Essay Example for Free

Milan Kundera’s The Unbearable Lightness of Being Essay In Milan Kundera’s novel, The Unbearable Lightness of Being, the author uses plenty of literary elements to tie together his points in an effort to help readers understand the basic premise behind the work. Though there are plenty of literary themes that can be found throughout the work, the most important ones are the themes that Kundera uses, as well as the characters in the novel. By creatively using these things in his work, Kundera helps explain what might have otherwise been a fairly complex ideal. In addition, the author is able to tie these things together to create a measure of clarity for readers as they progress through the work.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Theme is used in the novel to get across the basic ideas that the author is set on impressing into the reader. Since the novel relies mostly on ambiguous ideas to get across hard to find points, the utilization of different themes are critically important to the development of the story. As one might expect from the title of the work, Kundera uses lightness and the idea of weight as one of the primary themes throughout the book. Even in the title, one can see the dichotomy that exists. Lightness in itself is not something that should be too heavy to bear. Yet, the author is able to masterfully intertwine these two ideas to convey the point of his story. Through the entire work, the characters of the book are searching hard within themselves to find a solution to the primary question presented in the title. Their search for the important things in life is done in order to both find meaning and relieve themselves of some of the heaviness that their being light creates.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Another important theme that the author uses is politics. Though the characters carry on with their lives throughout the work, they are constantly linked to both each other and to their collective pasts by their underlying political beliefs. A good example of this can be found on page 123 of the novel, when Sabina receives word that the political situation in Prague has cost Tomas and Tereza their lives. The book reads, â€Å"She could not get over the news. The link to her past had been broken† (123). English expert Jay Braiman describes a literary theme as, â€Å"The main idea or message conveyed by the piece† (Braiman). It is clear in the story that the author uses both politics and the idea of weight as the main idea in the work. The desire to escape from the weight of life was something that drove each of the characters, while politics served as a main idea in trying all of the characters together.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Characters were the second literary element used by the author to create the work. Not only do the characters power the action, but they shed a little bit of light into the what the other characters were thinking. Simply having characters is not enough to establish something as an important literary element. As the author clearly understood, the characters must be used in the most efficient, useless way possible in order to help push the idea of the story forward. The characters in this novel are not just there for an arbitrary reason. Instead, they play an active role in the story in establishing the primary aspects of plot development. A Eugene Knight book review of the work talks to the importance of the characters by saying, â€Å"The very fact that they stay together and seem to find some degree of happiness illustrates that an acceptance of a relationship that falls well short of satisfying and fulfilling hopes, is possible† (Knight). One can easily see that the author used the literary element of characters to tie in the many themes that he utilized and help the reader understand the underlying conflict in Czechoslovakia at the time.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Overall, the book is a commentary on the reasons why people need people so much. This is a complex idea to establish, especially when one considers the fact that it is set against such a tough background. Kundera established his excellent work on the basis that his characters would do the talking for him. Instead of having to explain things to readers to get them to buy in to the main point of the book, he had characters live out their real life experiences to get across the points. Even more importantly than that, he was able to bring the characters closer to the themes that were so important to the author in this book. No one literary theme overtook the book or overpowered it. They all worked together in a sanctimonious harmony that not only told a story, but helped the reader interpret the story. The idea that a person who is too light could not bear that weight is a ridiculous one at first, but as the reader further understands the things that the characters are going through, they can begin to see how such a dichotomy can become quite a conundrum. Works Cited Braiman, Jay. Literary Devices. 2007. http://mrbraiman.home.att.net/lit.htm Knight, Eugene. The Unbearable Lightness of Being, Review. http://bookreviews.nabou.com/reviews/unbearable_lightness_kundera.html Kundera, Milan. The Unbearable Lightness of Being. 4 May 2004. HarperCollins Publishing. Raudino, Guiseppe. Socialism and Arts. August 2007. http://www.arttimesjournal.com/art/Art%20Essays/Ju.Aug%20%2707%20Milan%20Kundera/j.a%2707MilanKundera.htm

Deviant Behavior Essay -- Psychology, Social Psychology

Deviance is described as being behaviour that is not part of the norms in your particular society. This can be different throughout the world because some cultures have very different norms (Stephens and Leach, 1998:17). Most deviant behaviour will attract disapproval from others in the society or punishment from authorities. There are many different types of deviance such as addiction, mental illness, alcoholism, criminality and homosexuality. Throughout this essay six types of theories will be discussed about how and why people are deviant. Four of these theories support the idea of deviance being biological and three support the idea of it being caused by your social construction. Also the essay will talk about the differences between the theories and a similarity amongst them as they don’t often agree. There are two main views that people see as to how a person becomes deviant; biologically or from a person’s social construction. The biological explanation of deviance is that it is part of who you are when you are born. Whether you are born into a long line of alcoholics or your mother has a mental illness, it is coming from your genes. There are many theories that support the biological explanation of deviance that will be explained in this essay. Some seem very unlikely and don’t have a lot of evidence but there are a lot of theorists that support this idea. The social constructionist explanation is that you become deviant from the way that you are brought up. It is believed that certain parts of your childhood can cause a person to become deviant. This could be that your parents or caregivers brought you up to be a deviant person because they were deviant themselves. It could also be that you were neglected as a child an... ...l determinants. Rod Lea does admit that deviance is not only caused by the â€Å"warrior gene†, that non-genetic issues would be involved as well (Dykes 2006). A similarity amongst the XYY theory and the â€Å"warrior gene† theory is that it has to do with your genes so this would have to do with your parents and the generations before you. Physical appearance is also passed down through generations so these two could also have got their ideas from Lombroso’s theory. Another similarity amongst the biological theories is that it is often pointing towards males. The â€Å"warrior gene† is over-represented in Maori men and the XYY chromosome represents hyper masculinity (Gillham 2011:135). Also in Lombroso’s theory he describes the appearances as large jaws and cheekbones and a general hairiness of the body which is normally associated with males (Burfeind and Bartusch 2011:119).

Core Competencies Essay

A business or product which generates a sturdy, dependable flow of cash. Dog- a product with low market share in a slow growing market and thus neither generates more consumes large amounts of cash. Star- products that are in high growth markets with a relatively high share of that market. They tend to generate high amounts of income. Question Mark- growing rapidly and thus consumes large amounts of cash but because they have low markets shares they do not generate much cash 2. What are core competences? Core competences are critical capabilities to a business achieving competitive advantage. The starting point for analysing core competences is recognising that competition between businesses is as much a race for competence mastery as it is for market position and market power. Senior management cannot focus on all activities of a business and the competencies required to undertake them. So the goal is for management to focus attention on competencies that really affect competitive advantage. 4 Potential sources of core competences * Distribution * Marketing * Management * Manufacturing 4 criteria used to evaluate core competences * Valuable * Rare * Costly to imitate * Non substitutable 3. What should an audit of resources include? The resources available to a business whether it be owned or obtained through partnerships, joint ventures or simply suppliers arrangement with other businesses. The assessment of the strength and weakness of an organisation in conjunction with an assessment of opportunities and threats. It should have the key success factors for the markets and industries in question and the comparable strengths and weaknesses of competitors for the same customers. 4. What are the strategic options for competing in a Mature Industry? Prune marginal products and models * Emphasize innovation in the value chain Strong focus on cost reduction * Increase sales to present customers * Purchase rivals at bargain prices * Expand internationally * Build new, more flexible competitive capabilities 5. Define the Value System The Value System is the set of interdependent situations within a business which both directly or indirectly adds value to the customer and ultimately generates a net cash inflow. This also provides a key link between competitive strategy and shareholder value. Even though the value system bears some resemblance to Porter’s value chain, the latter is perhaps less flexible and less easily tailored to the variety of the modern business.

Scanning the Business Environment

The ability to think and plan for the future in a manner that is strategically advantageous for the firm requires many creative techniques. Even though some of these techniques may prove to have better and more obvious advantages, many strategists prefer to use all of them to gain different insights into the data presented to them. The variety of perspectives that these different techniques provide enables strategists to develop strategies that encompass a variety of problems and opportunities. They can then foresee many contingencies or issues and make plans to take account of them in their plans for the future of the company. Some of the techniques used include extrapolation, brainstorming, Delphi Technique and scenario building. Brainstorming is the most widely used extrapolation technique due to its incredible array of advantages. Some it being that it enables constructive criticism on the spot for all ideas and those ideas that cannot ‘stand the heat’ buck out. It enables many heads to come and focus on one core issue and bring in their various expertises onto the table. Linneman & Klein, December 1983). Delphi method is a different type of brainstorming where in different experts are presented with the same problem and asked to present their opinions, assumptions and solution based on their understanding of the problem at hand. Delphi Method is peculiar in the sense that the individuals do not meet face to face unlike in brainstorming sessions where in all members constructively criticize each problem and propose a final outcome via consensus. Morgan, Hunt, 2002) In Delphi method there is no face to face interaction at all and individuals are asked to report their findings to a coordinator who then compiles and resends the findings to the individual members who then submit recommendations till a final consensus is achieved. This method takes much more time to reach a consensus due to the fact that there is no face to face interaction and a coordinator has to be present to compile data. Its advantage on the other hand is that individuals are allowed to present their completely developed ideas without being interrupted and criticized (Linneman, Klein, December 1983). Prediction via extrapolation techniques involves having a set of variables, independent and dependent and then using them to logically calculate the unknown independent variable. Mathematical calculations can be easily used to solve typical ratio or linear problems but since all relationships are not linear or so easily defined it comes down to the interpreter’s capabilities to understand and rationalize a problem. One can either use mathematical representation to solve such problems or they can also be solved graphically which is why their solution and interpretation are very easy to get compared to other predictive techniques. Scenario building as a predictive technique also has its own advantages whereby individuals run marketing analyses of environmental contexts and this analysis leads to the determining of various marketing strategies for response, action or selection. The chosen strategies need to fit or be adaptive of the changing environments (Morgan, Hunt, 2002). References: Morgan, Hunt, Robert E, Shelby D. (2002). Determining marketing strategy: A cybernetic systems approach to scenario planning. Emerald, 36, Retrieved June, 23, 2009, from http://www.emeraldinsight.com/10.1108/03090560210417264 Linneman, Klein, Robert E., Harold E. (December, 1983). Long Range Planning: The use of multiple scenarios by U.S. industrial companies. Science Direct, 16, Retrieved June, 23, 2009, from http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6V6K-45K4MP1X8&_user=10&_rdoc=1&_fmt=&_orig=search&_sort=d&_docanchor=&view=c&_searchStrId=937302876&_rerunOrigin=google&_acct=C000050221&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=10&md5=f65f1a945e8f0c0751487b5d823e974e

Social Formations Essay Sample

Social Formations Essay Sample Social Formations Essay Sample Social Formations Essay Sample According to Livingstone, publics and audiences should be regarded in opposition to let one observe their significance and distinctiveness. Although the main remarkable feature of publics in contrast to audiences is their orientation on something shared and collective, the scholars and particularly Livingstone define at least seven more binary differences. This paper will focus on three, including public versus private, visible versus hidden, rational versus emotional in order to follow the abilities of the civic culture to break these binary. To begin with, it is important to emphasize that regardless all the differences and oppositions between publics and audiences, they still belong to the same reality and intertwine from time to time. As a result, a modern society observes more examples of how such binaries are broken. In order to explain the collapse of the publics into audiences and visa versa, Livingstone offers the concept of â€Å"civic culture† as something generally referred to as a non-political, but is becoming actualized when particular political issues occur (32). It is based on the democratic views, and relates a wider public and audiences through more rational public views. It also deprives the possible problems of being regarded on a global level linking them to the local territories and making more personal. Moreover, it can relate formal theoretical issues to cultural experiences adding the biased and emotional attitudes instead of the disinterested and rational ones. Consequently, civic culture becomes a mediator between the two spheres that become urgent when the matters that are of public concern are discussed. With regard to the media actions, one can agree that it can sometimes support the public rules and understanding, but also often undermines it. In the book On the Relation between Audiences and Publics, Livingstone pointed out how media could remodel the thoughtful and influential public into the crowd or mass consumers (18). Among the examples are politics that are transformed into political marketing, the news into talk shows or journalism into personal opinions with blogs. All these transformations are predetermined by the civic culture. In order to follow how private becomes public, visible becomes hidden, rational becomes emotional under such impacts, one should pay attention to the following examples. If to pay attention to the modern teenagers, social interaction has become crucial for their behavior on the individual and general level (Boyd). The distribution of information online, the confidentiality settings and possibilities of its violation have broken the notions of private and public considerably. The same changes have also blurred the other lines that made the older generation get confused and not always be able to transit smoothly to the new norms dictated by the global technological development (Boyd). In such a way, while the rational view emphasized the necessity of the technological improvements, the majority of the older population tried to avoid new devices due to the emotional inability to accept serious changes. The emotional rationalization characterizes such case and leads to the idea that the mediators are necessary in order to educate older generations and let people fight their anxiety, get integrated with new global norms and stick to the shared demands instead of the individual fears. For example, governments’ concealment of some facts that should be widely visible demonstrates the break of the hidden-visible binary. Moreover, the Internet spread and social networks have become a good way to keep secretly the information about the population. Additionally, the electronic data recording has become a good way to search the information that should have been hidden or private, but can easily be hacked. Hence, secret disclosure of the data as well as secret work of the FBI is a good evidence of how the binary is broken due to the civic culture influence. Primarily, the preceding behaviors of the wider public common interests have a crucial impact on publics’ and audiences’ characteristics interconnection. In such a way, media and its development by means of the informational technologies ruins the binaries that shall exist between publics and audiences. Primarily, the change of forms of communications becomes the means that predetermines the shift of private and shared. Additionally, fears and changes can control publics to accept emotional instead of rational. Finally, the policies of the government and work of such services as FBI can make the hidden and the visible become mixed. All of the examples emphasize the great role of the civic culture in such transitions. Copyright is the expression of the uniqueness and creativity. Music is and has always been a cultural creation. However, the laws on intellectual property and particularly music appeared to be quite blurred and based not solely on the uniqueness of themes, styles or lyrics, but also on the color of the author’s skin. This essay focuses on the example of â€Å"Mixtape. Inc† and will analyze the creative value and infinite number of possibilities that make the creations completely different from one another. The notion of copyright is quite complicated due to the existence of the ideas, their derivatives, improvements or repetitions. Moreover, it cannot actually deal with someone’s ideas, but can only let one judge upon the expression. Referring to the same culture, one can definitely follow that the musical styles of the generations can change, but they often borrow some techniques from the previous ones. As a result, sometimes the entire musical heritage of the nation can be defined as the â€Å"traditional collective creative work† (Boyle 129). However, such unification of the musical tradition is not corresponding to the copyright law that rejects common usage of the same motives or ideas. Even though inspiration can be tightly interconnected with the creation of someone else, it is illegal to use a sufficient or considerable part of the similar motives or words in a new work. Ultimately, the freedom of artists is considerably restricted and very likely suppresses a gre at number of the new musical creations that can become hits. The copyright law actually protects intellectual property. However, it has a number of drawbacks. As for African American musicians, the laws restricting such borrowing of the ideas throughout generations will completely ruin the traditional views on musical performances that have never been associated with individuals as separated creative works. Boyle pointed out that the imitations that exist nowadays would hardly let such genres of the African American music as jazz, RB, blues, gospels or other exist (130). Subsequently, the deep and strong connection between the musical styles throughout centuries could have become a real problem for the African American music. Boyle represented a number of examples to see the close interconnection between the works of different musicians. Mainly, the example of Nat King Cole influence on Ray Charles, soul music and blues have become crucial evidence of the musical generations’ interconnection. Ray Charles also may have taken the motives from Will Thompson or Clara Ward. At the same time, the repeating ideas and expressions were found in Kanye West’s â€Å"Gold Diggers† and Charles’ â€Å"I Got a Woman† and Jamie Fox’s chorus. Similarly, Legendary K. O. represented the borrowings from Kanye West (Boyle 153). In such a way, one can even follow some specific creative chain passing the ideas and their expressions from one song to another. An interesting example of how the intellectual property issues have become disputable in the modern world can be found in the documentary â€Å"Mixtape, Inc.† This example can be even considered as the continuation of the long above-mentioned chain of the African American historical musical interconnections. Some people state the â€Å"Mixtape, Inc.† offers illegal music to people. The underlying reason for that is that the documentary shows the mixture of rap and hip-hop music that have come out. However, the usage of the musical compositions created by Xzibit, G-Unit, Kanye West, Walter Bell was illegal and of considerable sizes. At the same time, some other artists, including movie creators, state that people have a full right to use and refer to the music of their idols. Moreover, the music of the above-mentioned artists has already become a national heritage. Furthermore, the overall context in which this music is placed can be defined as a completely new creation incorporating only some elements from other authors. Finally, the names of the artists were clearly stated, thus, no attempts to steal or arrogate someone else’s ideas were made, and to prove that musical ideas as well as genres originated from one another. According to Boyle’s reflections, the problems of the copyright rules mostly lay in the aggressiveness of the copyright holders and ambiguous definition of what exactly is a considerable part of someone’s oeuvre to borrow. At the same time, he proves that intergenerational connection between cultural achievements exists and it cannot exclude the musical achievements as well as the cultural ones. Music genres develop out of other genres, therefore, copyright law demands needs improvements that will be aware that creation is nothing else than re-creation and imitation (Boyle 156). Consequently, with the existing technologies, the main solution is to make those, who use the music of others to gain profit and those, who borrow it for personal usage, be able to use it for free. In general, such decision is likely to be the most justified. To sum it up, the creative value of the oeuvres is a disputable issue as it is almost impossible to prove that the same ideas can never repeat. The chain offered by Boyle is a great example of how the genres are interrelated and originate from one another. Mainly such samples prove the inappropriateness of the copyright law that obviously demands revision. Andrew Ross pointed out different approaches to activism and emphasized their importance for both labor and consumer groups. Primarily, based on the anti-consumer and anti-sweatshop movements, the author emphasizes on the abuse of laborers and advocacies of rights. This analysis is quite effective to show the failures of the 21st century’s society and its system. With regard to anti-consumer and anti-sweatshop movements, it is necessary to pay attention to the moral and ethical aspects that cause the dissatisfaction of the masses and further growth of the opposition against the rules of the social system. This paper aims to analyze how the differences between two movements predetermine their unconscious cooperation that left a deep imprint on the public consciousness. The priorities of anti-consumer activists were set up against the consumer society due to a number of reasons. Among such, the representatives of the movements supported the ideas that ethics and morality are essential, but represent the society as dysfunctional. The statistics show that on the global level, the amount of goods consumed is too high and continues to grow. However, the activists proved that not solely the material reward should matter in this world. As the anti-sweatshop movements are focused on the demonstration of the suppliers’ working conditions, one can conclude that the system of their work let them search deeper for the causes of injustice instead of looking on the surface. Such approach should be the first lesson for the anti-consumer movement leaders and for all citizens. The second one is the courage to rise against the most powerful corporations with no doubts prove that the standards do not differ with the power growth (Ross 110). Instead, authority and power provides higher level of responsibility, not permissiveness. Moreover, the anti-sweatshop movements provide the key lessons regarding global organization under the presence of insurmountable obstacles. The choice of the key locations has a stronger influence on the employers. The idea of the fair labor for everyone was a basis for the sweatshop movement. In 1990s, the anti-sweetshop movements were focused on the opposition to the world brands’ policies (Ross 109). â€Å"Looking behind the label† became not only the tactic of the anti-sweatshop activists, but one of the norms that was accepted by societies (Ross 109). In Teamsters, Turtles and Tainted Toys, Ross (111) defined the goal of this campaign to lay the groundwork for the further global sweatshop eradication. Therefore, the level of the planned actions was considerable and not limited solely by the ideas to implement changes on the local level. While the movements obviously have some features that unify them, one should consider a useful lesson provided by the anti-consumer movement. Its idea, which is applicable in all spheres, is the key importance of the common sense and proportion in everything. Moreover, the anti-consumer movements also supported the anti-sweatshop. According t o their views, the problems of high consumption levels and long working hours are closely interconnected and mutually exclusive. The documentary â€Å"No Logo, Brands, Globalization, Resistance† can prove the appropriateness of the above-mentioned aspects and define main common backgrounds for the movements. The fast world globalization makes economies interdependent and demands governments and business leaders to pay particular attention to the possible negative results not only for the native country, but also for all other that are concerned. The environmental, cultural and political issues often go beyond the boundaries of some definite group and reflect on the living conditions of the entire world. The corporate globalization is the notion used to support this idea. In â€Å"No Logos†, the idea of the search from the underlying key reasons is also revealed as the journalist searches for the growing profits of the great corporations looking behind the labels on the life and working conditions in the developing countries. The same idea is supported in the documentary â€Å"Stop the TPP and C orporate Globalization†. However, this documentary is focused primarily on NAFTA to emphasize one of the sources of the world globalization. Concentrating mainly on the negative consequences of the issue, the speakers pointed out the human rights’ violations and public debates’ necessity. At the same time, it proves that the anti-globalization movements are still common and widely spread due to the imperfections of the system. As a conclusion, one can see how the anti-sweatshop and anti-consumer movements have attracted people’s attention to the urgent problem of globalization and responsibility it carries. The imperfect consumer social system became the basic reason of the activists’ dissatisfaction and made the labor movements cooperate unconsciously and have a number of encountering points.

7 Formatting Errors That Make Your Book Look Unprofessional

7 Formatting Errors That Make Your Book Look Unprofessional More and more writers are taking advantage of the new tools of publishing to create and publish their own books. This has led to an explosion of creativity, as writers are able to move their own books to market without the long delays and uncertainty of trying to get a traditional publisher to offer a contract. Of course, there are also lots of authors who publish some of their books with traditional publishers, but still want to issue backlist, experimental, or non-commercial books themselves. This is all good news for authors. But one of the consequences of authors becoming do-it-yourself publishers has been the proliferation of books that dont look quite right. Although our books may be self-published, we sure dont want them to look sub-par, do we? For many years Ive helped authors get their books produced so they can compete with the books coming from traditional publishers. And while many authors hire professional book designers to create their books for them, this isnt practical or desirable from some people. Some of the errors I see when reviewing self-published books are very easy to correct, if you only know how. So to help out, Ive compiled here a list of the most common book formatting errors. If youre doing your own formatting, make sure you pin this article up near your workstation. Youll be needing it. 7 Formatting Errors to Avoid 1.  Putting page numbers on blank pages. Blank pages have no text or images on them, and that means they should be truly blank. If you think about it, having a page number on a blank page really doesnt make sense, since theres nothing for the page number to refer to. 2.  Using running heads on chapter opening pages or blank pages. This is probably the most common formatting mistake of all, and I see it often in books from do-it-yourselfers. Just like page numbers, running heads (the type at the top of a page that shows the book title, author name, or chapter title) have no place on a blank page, just leave them off so the pages are truly blank. 3.  Using rag-right typesetting. Sometimes authors think they can make their pages look better 4.  Double spacing between sentences. Many of us learned to type quite a while ago, and many typing instructors told us to hit the space bar twice after a period. This is perfectly fine for business reports or memos, but it has no place in a book and can potentially cause problems when your book is typeset. So only one space between sentences. 5.  Using both indented AND block style spaces between paragraphs. Since weve started reading so much on web pages, weve grown accustomed to the block style of paragraph formatting. This is when paragraphs are separated 6.  Putting the odd numbered pages on the left. When you open a book, it just makes sense that the first page is page number 1, and that has to be a right-hand page. This rule is absolute, and you should never, ever number your pages with even numbers on right-hand pages. 7.  Making super small margins to save pages. Lots of authors who use print on demand services like CreateSpace know that they will be charged based on how many pages are in their book. But thats no reason to shortchange your readers Paying attention to these details of book formatting will help ensure that your books look and work the way they are supposed to. Your readers will thank you for that, and its your readers you should keep in mind throughout the publishing process. Another way to solve a lot of these formatting problems while also getting a well-designed, industry-standard book is to use one of our book templates. They will save you an amazing amount of time and frustration, while making sure your book looks the way it should. You can find out more and see the available designs at: BookDesignTemplates.com.

Impacts of Spread of Communication in Science and Technology Essay

Impacts of Spread of Communication in Science and Technology - Essay Example There is no other area where advances in communication have had significant changes like in the area of development and use of new science and technology. Impacts of spread of communication technology on science and technology First and foremost communication has been advanced by the use of internet in the 21st century and has significantly increased the amount of information that has been transferred and exchanged throughout the world. Thus the first impact which touches on science and technology greatly is increase on the volume of information being exchanged globally. The internet communication today plays an interactive role which is by far the most important impact. This is particularly in the field of science considering that production of scientific knowledge is basically a social process which involves sharing information, information collaboration and the mobilization of outputs. The old hierarchy which was based essentially on email made it possible for an instant collabora tion and creation of a group. This removed some of the barriers towards cooperation that had existed before and also brought some limitations to science and technology (Hattie, 2009, pp.132-134). ... The birth of science 2.0 through collaboration by scientist and the mass dispersal of scientific information gathering, the wisdom of the crowds have enabled a large pool of people to examine the same problem. This process has the ability of diminishing the distinction existing between informal and formal processes of creating knowledge. Communication is a critical factor that has a great impact on future development and the use of science and technology. The change in the face of global communication, in broad terms has affected science and technology in various ways. Enhanced research on science and technology Traditional forms of scientific communication emphasized production of knowledge by individuals with feedback from colleagues only and then subsequent knowledge exchange. This in simpler terms means interaction was limited to certain stages of the research project or was temporarily limited to proximate researchers. The output from the diversified knowledge is thus improved. More technological and scientific inventions and innovations are realised as a result of diversified knowledge. Researchers in the modern world of advanced communication are able to exchange knowledge and information outside the circles of colleagues. This has in effect enabled the researchers to gather a variety of information and leading to diversified knowledge. This has generally improved the outcomes in the various fields in science and technology. Revolutionizing of peer –peer and peer- lay information exchange The advance made in modern communication is changing the peer-peer and peer-lay exchange of information. It was a physical adventure to root out scientific information Some 20 years ago. One would have to cycle through libraries, chase up references

Anthropological linguistics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Anthropological linguistics - Essay Example Phonemes, Morphemes and Grammar Phoneme is considered to be the first building slab of language. These are the most fundamental unit of our speech; an individual sound. Phoneme is the common feature of all languages. English uses around forty phonemes. They can have further distinctive classifications and features like voiced or unvoiced components. Phonemes are so fundamental that they do not convey any meaning until put together. (Kendon, 2000) Morpheme is the second building slab of language. A morpheme, as defined by linguists, is the smallest meaningful unit of language, produced from an arrangement of phonemes. As far as their further classifications are concerned, morphemes are of two types, the first ones are content morphemes and the second ones are function morphemes. The basic meanings of a word are held by content morphemes while prefixes and suffixes work as function morphemes. The main characteristic of function morphemes is this that they add a little additional meanin g to the word. Grammar is considered to be the last and final building slab of language. According to grammarians, grammar is the collection of set rules of language that stipulate how phonemes, morphemes, phrases and words should be arranged and combined to communicate meaningful thoughts. Besides this, grammar also governs how to employ different classes of words and their inflections. Grammar is a combination of two ingredients; syntax and semantics. (Kendon, 2000) Syntax is the set of grammatical rules that state in what order the words and phrases should be arranged in a sentence in order to convey meaning. In human life development, by the time one is proficient to read, his or her syntactical perceptive sense is exceedingly developed. Furthermore, this makes it sound like even sentences that are composed or based on of unfit or apparently odd words make sense because they follows appropriate syntax. Syntax and syntactical rules are different and diverse in every language. (Ke ndon, 2000) For example, English speaking people place adjectives prior to nouns while many other languages place the adjective after the noun. Another important field of linguistics is semantics. Semantics are the meaning itself or study of meaning derived from morphemes, words and sentences. Semantics depend upon a variety of relevant factors such as word choice, context and whether the speaker’s intent is figurative or literal. All these are building slabs of human language and are integral part of all human languages in anthropological linguistics. Without these building slabs humans, speaking any language of the world, would not be able to converse with each other. These are the core rules and units of speech which are all significant components to help convey our opinions, thoughts, ideas, feelings and personal experiences through language. Non Verbal Communication Non-verbal communication is used so often that we actually forget that we are using it. We do not realize how much we rely on non-verbal communication; the reason for this is due to the fact that most non-verbal communication transpires on a level that is below our conscious awareness. (Kendon, 2000) While many aspects of nonverbal communication are culturally specific, some, e.g. facial expressions and gestures, appear to have near universal levels of recognition. Non-verbal messages are also viewed as more authentic because behavior cannot be restricted as effortlessly as spoken words. (Kendon, 2000) Perhaps the most

Notions of gender have significantly informed the development of Essay

Notions of gender have significantly informed the development of health policy and of health care practice. critically discuss - Essay Example This paper illustrates how notions of gender have significantly contributed to the development of health policy and the development of health care. Health policy is aimed at being a vessel for discussion and exploration of issues in the health system. In particular, it is intended to promoting communication between the health policy and legislators, system researchers, professionals and decision makers who are concerned with development and implementation of health systems and reforms in health care. These policies and reforms are being made in an ever increasing pace and policy makers are forced to look over to other countries to find solutions to their own problems. The commitment of health policy is to ensure that there is international dialogue that makes sure that policies are put into practice based on specific issues and goals as well as in the particular situations (Walsh, 2004:146). Looking back at history, there was a growing strength of women’s movement in the late 1960s and 1970s. This growth challenged the ‘medicalisation’ of bodies of women and the structure of women’s medical health needs as dissimilar from their own priorities and experiences. The women’s movement went ahead and questioned the myth that male partners or doctors had better knowledge about their bodies than the women themselves knew (David 2008). This represented the women experiences in sexual, physical, mental and reproductive health needs. Based on the social, economic and political forces that influenced heath, they analysed their experiences and searched for the connections between class, race and gender-based coercion and the way they affected the women (Graham, 2009:146). According to David (2008), there was evolution of the concepts of gender and gender analysis from feminist point of view that emphasised the cultural and social nature of most of the differences between women and men. This is

Genetically Modified and Organic Foods: Pros and Cons

Genetically Modified and Organic Foods: Pros and Cons Introduction Without modern food production methods, the world food shortage would be in even more of a crisis today. The controversial issue regarding organic and modern mass production methods such as genetic modification, chemical additives and irradiation is a big issue in the global food industry. The global food shortage crisis is gaining momentum as the world is exposed to environmental disasters and the devastating effects of global warming. A solution may come from the growing Genetically Modified (GM) food industry or are the long term effects of GM food too much of a risk. They are increasingly penetrating the market and are replacing the natural, organic foods. Technology has taken over our lives and lifestyles and GM foods are evidence of a desperate attempt to keep up with the crippling population growth worldwide and the lack of equal food dispersion thereof. The controversy of the issue is weighted by the reality of the global food shortage crisis. What are Organic Foods? Over the years the term has changed to accommodate the new species of crops and varieties of animals. The original definition would be food that has not been altered in any by the use of technology or man-made activities. The foods have been grown in naturally fertilised soil, meaning that there is an absence of chemicals such as pesticides or herbicides. The crops then grow naturally by photosynthesis and they are then harvested, processed (cleaning, etc.) packaged and distributed. There are very limited amount of chemical additives such as preservatives, colourants, flavourants despite popular beliefs but they are not exposed to irradiation or radurisation. In terms of livestock and animal produce, the animals are nurtured for in a natural environment such as one that resembles their natural habitat. They are free to roam around and salvage food such as free range chickens are allowed to roam and peck for food. The animal feed is not pumped with synthetic growth hormones or antibio tics or genetically modified organisms. Organic foods are supposed to be the biological, natural and traditional crops or animals that have been around since the dawn of time. Customary farming styles have changed but the organic principles have stayed the same. Fresh organic food This classifies food that has not been processed and is sold at produce store such as Everfresh, Fruit Veg City or small stales. The produce is bought from independent, small scale sellers that are usually the farmers of the produce. This usually categorises fresh fruit and vegetables but it can be used to classify fresh meat. However in todays technological society, fresh produce is not always organic. Loose fruit and vegetables are also in produce stores so the best way to identify organic produce is by reading labels. Another indication of organic produce is knowing what seasons the fruits or vegetables usually grow and are harvested. Price is also an additional indication. Organic produce is usually more expensive. Processed organic food These foods are found in grocery stores such as Spar or Woolworths. These foods have a high percentage of organic foods and do contain a limited amount of non artificial flavours or additives. The foods are preserved using natural preservatives such as high amounts of salt or sugar. They are also under strict restraints regarding their processing. They may also tend to be more expensive and have a shorter shelf life than non-organic processed products. Pros and cons of organic production The organic food industry has boomed by 70% worldwide and in some countries a higher percentage of people have tapped into the organic food industry due to health concerns and the alleged health benefits of organic food. The pros and cons are the issues that consumers are weighing every time they go shopping or order a meal or consume something. The organic food industry capitalise on the fact that their food is a lot healthier than GM foods or non-organic foods but that is not always the case. Pros of organic food production Organic food is generally good for the environment and our health but this varies according to the farm style, produce and scale of the farm. There are several reasons for this. Organic farms do not use synthetic fertilisers, pesticides, insecticides, herbicides or chemicals when farming. This means that the crops can develop their own natural photochemicals via photosynthesis and protect themselves from insects and weeds. This means that they are naturally fortified with antioxidants, minerals and macro and micro vitamins. They have to fight off their natural predators and this environmental stress ensures that we will consume crops with more vitamins and antioxidants without the health risk of chemical residues. The use of manure and compost is economical and completely natural. The lack or minuscule use of artificial chemicals means that there is a much lower risk of contracting illnesses introduced by the unnatural chemicals. For example pesticides are known to have detrimental effects on our health ranging from minor discomforts like headaches to breast cancer. The chemicals are also damaging to developing foetuses (as the pesticides cross the placenta and their immune system is undeveloped) and pregnant women (as their organs and body systems are already under stress). They can also cause Parkinsons disease. Antibiotics are not used in animal farming feeds meaning that their meat or produce do not contain the antibiotics but they use their natural immune systems to fight diseases. The antibiotics can cause long term health complications. The antibiotics used are very similar to ones used for human use thus means that the body will receive an over dose will cause harmful bacteria in our body to evolve and mute into a new drug resistant species. Growth hormones are not used in animal feeds or pumped into their bodies. This means that they will develop naturally and mature when they are biologically supposed to. The health effects of these can only be truly seen in the long term but some are evident today. Girls and boys are maturing before their time and there are more random hormonal, birth and growth defects than before. Additives and preservatives such as Monosodium Glutamate (MSG), hydrogenised fats, colourants and artificial sweeteners are not present in organic foods. They have been proven to be detrimental to human health. The lack of synthetic pesticides means that organic farming in not harmful to indigenous wildlife. It encourages vast range of biodiversity and a balanced ecosystem. Crop rotation promotes soil nutrition and a diversity of crops to grow. The nutrient demand varies according to the plant and this means that the soil has time to replenish itself or by the use of nitrifying plants or cover crops such as legumes and beans or clovers. They also introduce new, beneficial insects to the ecosystem to kill off pests. Crop rotation also promotes a stronger top soil therefore reducing soil erosion ad harmful chemicals from being washed into rivers and streams hence contaminating valuable drinking water and lower levels of heavy metals from polluting, clean drinking water. Animals are in a free range environment meaning that they will develop muscles and strong bones and immune systems and their natural diet will enable them to live healthy, normal lifestyles. Organic farms produce less waste and are more energy efficient and use less energy. Organic farms do not need highly skilled workers or very expensive equipment. Cons of organic food production Despite the numerous benefits there are some concerning problems with organic foods but they too vary according to the farm produce and the size of the farm. The shelf life of organic foods is much shorter than GM or mass produced products because the lack of additives and preservatives decreases their shelf life (especially fruit and vegetables). Organic foods are a lot more expensive than commercial or mass produced foods in some cases 50%-100% more expensive. The organic industry marketing is largely based on the health benefits of organic food so some products may claim to be organic but do not meet the standards and cheat people out of their money. The limited amounts of chemicals will still have detrimental effects in the long term. There is said to be no proven results that there is a substantial difference between nutritional benefits with organic foods and fortified commercial foods such as commercially grown cereals or juices. The natural manure used may contain harmful bacteria such as the E. coli bacterium which is fatal to human health if not treated. The farms also give off of gases (e.g. methane) that are harmful to the environment. Organic foods are not produced on a very big scale such as mass scale production so their yield is much lower and would not be able to keep up with high demand for food. Hence the expense. Organic foods may not look as appealing or appetising as commercially grown products or GM foods. Crop rotation is not subject to organic farming and it is not as energy efficient as it claims. No-till farming is a commercial farming technique and uses the least energy. (The process however uses herbicides to clear the land eliminating the need to till or manage the land.) The farming styles may be too outdated and need improvement to adapt to the changing environment. Organic farming may not ensure food security to a mass population or sustain food fashions or trends. It is heavily dependant on seasonal change and weather so supplies are inconstant. Organic farming is tedious and hard work and requires space. What chemicals are used to aid the production and supply foods? Additives and preservatives are used largely in mass production products. They are added to food products to enhance taste, colour, and texture or to preserve the food in order for it to have an increased shelf life. This makes the food more aesthetically appealing and or even taste better than usual. They are substances that are purposely added to food during the handling, processing or manufacturing stages of food. This is a selling gimmick but some additives are beneficial but they also have negative health effects. Examples of additives are Monosodium glutamate (MSG) is one of the most common additives in savoury foods and tartazine (E102) is a yellow colouring also used in a variety of products. They are known to cause or aggravate allergies or even respiratory problems like asthma. Functions that the chemicals perform MSG enhances the flavour and taste of savoury foods. It is a white crystalline substance that dissolves well into a variety of foods. It causes allergic reactions like swelling lips and vomiting. Tartazine (E102) is used to colour food yellow, like in margarine. It has been linked with asthma and hyperactivity in children. Additives generally: Are effective against combating a variety of microorganisms Are not toxic to humans and animals (if taken in the right dosage) Are Water soluble (dissolve well in water) Add nutrient value Are not damaged by temperature changes or bacteria Do not affect the natural components of food. (Flavour, aroma, etc.) Are economical What is genetic modification? Genetic modification is the process of technologically changing the genetic information of an organism to achieve a desired result. The biotechnology used or genetic engineering to create genetically modified crops or Genetically modified organisms (GMOs) entails extracting desirable genes from one organism and fusing them with another to create a new, improved breed or species of plant. The GM crops are then cultivated and introduced into the market. The traits make them more desirable and penetrate the market easily. They are therefore cheaper, last longer and have an enhanced nutritional value. In animals it enhances their productivity and quality of feed and produce (hormones, etc). Genetic modification is a complex practice laws need to be implemented such as the South African GMO Act (1997) that controls and monitors activity regarding GMOs. It is administrated by the National Department of Agriculture consisting of committee members from government bodies. GM was introduced to reach the high and strenuous demands for food because of the rapidly exploding global population. The food shortage crisis has however worsened over the years and people are turning more towards GM products as a faster and cheaper solution as opposed to conventional or organic products. There are concerns about health effects and are GM foods just as detrimental if not worse than commercial mass produced products. Is it the baddie that its reputation suggests? Despite the widespread support for GM foods there is a large community that strongly feels that they will cause more problems than solutions and that they are just prolonging the list of causes of human death. Arguments in favour of GM products: It is an advancement of traditional breeding to keep up with the increasing food demands. GM crops use fewer chemicals than commercially grown or mass produced crops making them just as health as organic foods. They have a high yield and their yield is constant. There is no sound evidence that GM production has an undesirable effect on the environment. Developing countries need the crops to feed their populations and are adopting the technology or receiving it as aid from first world or developed countries. It is quick, cheaper and less maintenance than wide scale farming or organic farming as it needs less space and fewer costs (chemicals, manure etc.) Arguments against GM products: There is a scarcity of scientific testing results of the short term or long term effects of GM products. There is not enough technology and funding in the world to sustain everybody in the long term. The GM foods may contain versatile toxins unknown to man at the present time. GM crops will lead to a lack of biodiversity and a decrease the indigenous crops or animals having a negative environmental effect. They could increase susceptibility to allergens. The alterations of genes could also alter genes in our own bodies and pass them on to further generations. There are major ethical issues regarding GM foods. It is unclear as to whether or not GM foods are as bad as they are said to be but they seem to be the only working solution so far to combat the food social shortage global crisis. The need for GM foods is clear but the risk of eating genetically altered food is too high. The luxury of eating new fruits like grapples is inviting but the price of future generations health is alarming. GM foods are becoming a hazard posing as a luxury but if their constraints are limited they could serve a beneficial purpose such as alleviating the food shortage crisis. Genetic modification could be a food fashion or fad but judging by its popularity it is here to stay. What is radurisation? Radurisaton, also known as irradiation is the treatment of food using very short light or radio waves. This improves the foods shelf life, safety and its suitability. Electromagnetic radiation is the umbrella term for the different types of waves used scientifically. The Gamma rays are the shortest waves in the electromagnetic spectrum and they are used to irradiate the food. The rays infiltrate deep into the food and kill bacteria or insects as their biological cells are sensitive to the radiation. The waves can also retard potatoes from sprouting. The waves are generated by a specially treated metal called Cobalt 60 that is encased between double layers of metal rods; because of the dangers of gamma rays the radurisation takes place under strictly controlled conditions. Different dosages are used according to the desired effect, if food is to be pasteurised than the dosage is less than equipment that needs to be sterilised. It is very popular and it is authorized by a number of international organisations such as the World Health Organisation (WHO), the Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) and the American Medical Association. It is locally supported by The Department of Health. According to Act 54 of 1972 (in South Africa) all irradiated foodstuffs must be labelled properly showing the Radura symbol and only if approved by the Minister of Health or the Director General. The maximum dosage is 10 kiloGrey, exceeding this will be violating international regulations. The Radura Symbol What foods are irradiated? There are a variety of foods that are irradiated especially raw or highly sensitive foods that can be contaminated easily. They are divided into different classes starting from 1-11; the higher the class the more complex the application (the table attached illustrates this). A few of the common food stuffs are: Wheat Maize Spices and herbs Fruits (e.g. strawberries) Vegetables (e.g. cauliflower) Meat (raw or frozen) Poultry Fresh garlic Honey Tubers, bulbs and roots (e.g. potatoes) What are the pros and cons of irradiation? Pros of irradiation: It eliminates or reduces the amount of disease causing organisms in the food and other harmful bacteria. (e.g. salmonella, E. coli, listeria, etc.) It replaces the use of potentially harmful chemicals used to fumigate insects from crops. Irradiation meets international and national quarantine standards. It extends the shelf life of food especially raw fruit and vegetables, meat and poultry. It is a safe and effective method for treating food. The food does not become radioactive. Cons of irradiation: There is a minor reduction in vitamin content during irradiation. It cannot improve spoilt foods Foods with a high percentage of fat change colour when they are irradiated. It does not improve or enhance the taste or appearance of the food. It can cause unpleasant flavours in certain foods. Skilled workers can only work with the equipment The equipment is expensive and needs regular maintenance Analysis of results Who was interviewed? I tried to choose a spectrum of candidates raining in age hence affecting their lifestyle choices. I surveyed: Parents Scholars Friends Members of the Ballito community Children The results that I acquired are more or less what I had expected. There was an equal balance between the questions as to whether or not people agreed with the statement but I was surprised to see that 5out of the 15 people did not think that there was a global food shortage crisis. A lot of people did not have a vegetable garden which I had thought was a fad and more and more people felt safer when they ate their own produce. 10 out of the 15 people knew what genetic modification was and the same results were obtained when 10 out of the 15 people choose the correct definition for organic food. There is a trend regarding people being more aware of organic food and how influential food labels are and the effect on the environment. 10 out of 15 people were willing to spend more money on organic foods which is more evidence that organic food is becoming a big part of peoples lifestyle choices. 0 out of the 15 people did not know what the Radura symbol indicated so it shows that there is a lack of consumer knowledge. Ultimately the general result regarding the controversial issue of GM foods relieving the food shortage crisis was that people strongly supported this theory with 10 people choosing yes, 4 people choosing no and one person choosing not applicable. The following tables and graphs diagrammatically represent a few of the results from the survey: What are organic foods? What is Genetic modification? Number of people who choose the correct definition:Â  10 Number of people who choose the correct definition: 0 Number of people who choose the wrong definition:Â  5 Total:15 Do GM foods influence your food choice? Do organic foods influence your food choice? Number of people who choose: Yes 7 Number of people who choose: No 6 Number of people who choose: Not applicable 2 Total:Â  15 Are you willing to spend more money on organic foods? Number of people who choose: Yes 10 Number of people who choose: No 5 Number of people who choose: Not applicable 0 Total:Â  15 Do you have a vegetable garden? Number of people who choose: Yes 6 Number of people who choose: No 9 Number of people who choose: Not applicable 0 Total: 15 Do you think GM foods could alleviate the food shortage crisis? Number of people who choose: Yes Number of people who choose: No Number of people who choose: Not applicable Do you believe that there is a global food shortage crisis? Number of people who choose: Yes Number of people who choose: No Number of people who choose: Not applicable Personal opinion The information is reliable and valid as people answered the survey individually and they were anonymous and so they felt more flexible and honest with their answers. The results were bias in that all the candidates where from a similar financial background and had access to more consumer information. The survey results did match with the literature results that I obtained. They were the same in terms of the lack of consumer knowledge and the growing trend of people moving towards organic foods for supposed health reasons. A lot of people thought that the organic farms had a good environmental impact but they were wrong so the information given to the public is not always fact making it misleading. Suggestions on how to improve the investigation The investigation was extensive and needed a lot of detail. I would survey more people and a wider spectrum ranging from a bigger lifestyle differences and income background in order for the results to be more accurate. The length and content of my survey/ questionnaire would be more specified so as to have a fair and set standard of what results should be required from the public. I would use a better organisational method of my information by mapping it out before is started my investigation in order to clearly know what I have to do. My time management would also need improvement in order to have more time to thoroughly go through my work and not be rushed for time. I would research more information in order to have more arguments regarding the investigation. Conclusion There is evidence of a global food shortage crisis and it is clear that people have chosen to show a blind eye to the situation or actively combat it. The two major concerns as to whether or not they will alleviate the global food shortage crisis are clear; Organic or Commercial mass produced food. There are counter arguments that there is enough food supplied from the earth but misdistribution and greed have caused food to become scarce. The environment is also more versatile than it used to be due to global warming so extreme disasters and weather patterns are changing landscapes and available or potential farming land is becoming a scarcity. The growing population is also exceeding the environmental capacity to cater for it as there in not enough space to farm as it is cultivated for farming and there is a higher demand for food than there is a supply. The recent recession is also another reason threatening food security and increasing oil prices threaten the transport of foods. Without the technological advances that man has created to bring about mass produced foods is a solution but a temporary one as repercussions are not yet evident but they will curb the success of mass produced foods. Organic foods do not seem half as damaging but they too cannot sustain the booming population. The question remains as to whether or not to choose organic or GM food but for majority of the worlds population that is not an option so they have to rely on GM foods. The world would be in even more of a crisis if modern mass food productions but they need to refine their methods and strive to be as close to organic quality as possible, GM is not the answer, more needs to be done.