Sources of Demo Data

The issue of population and development has increasingly evolved into the ‘population, environment, and development nexus. In the face of this mandate for research on population and environment dynamics, different theoretical frameworks are brought on board. Ester Boserup was one of the scholars who have contributed to these theoretical frameworks hence this essay will attempt to expound Ester her theory of population growth and demonstrate how applicable the theory is to Africa. Later on, the weaknesses of the theory will be brought in with reference to the African context.Lastly a conclusion will summarize the whole essay. A theory is defined as a set of facts, propositions, or principles analyzed in their relation to one another to explain phenomena. (Chambers dictionary, 2005) Population growth is defined as the total number of people who inhabit an area, region, or country, or the number of people in a particular group who inhabit an area. Ester Boserup (May 18, 910 â€⠀œ September 24, 1999) was a Danish economist, writer. She studied economical and agricultural development, worked at the United Nations as well as other international organizations, and she wrote several books.Her most notable book is The Conditions of Agricultural Growth: The Economics of Agrarian Change under Population Pressure. (Aldine, 1965) This book presents a â€Å"dynamic analysis embracing all types of primitive agriculture. The work undoes the assumption dating back to Malthus’s time (and still held in many quarters) that agricultural methods determine population (via food supply). Instead, Boserup argued that population determines agricultural methods. A major point of her book is that â€Å"necessity is the mother of invention†.It was her great belief that humanity would always find a way and was quoted in saying â€Å"The power of ingenuity would always outmatch that of demand† in a letter to Northern Irish philosopher T S Hueston. She also influ enced debate on the role of women in workforce and human development, and the possibility of better opportunities of work and education for women. (Jain, 2005) According to Malthusian theory, the size and growth of the population depends on the food supply and agricultural methods. In Boserup’s theory agricultural methods depend on the size of the population.In the Malthusian view, in times when food is not sufficient for everyone, the excess population will die. However, Boserup argued that in those times of pressure, people will find ways to increase the production of food by increasing workforce, machinery, fertilizers, (Jain, 2005) Bosarupian theory focuses on the relationship between population, environment, and technology. Her concept of ‘population,’ encompasses population density as well as absolute size and growth. Her concept of environment refers mainly to land resources and related factors such as climate and soil quality.Since her focus is historical civilizations or developing countries, ‘technology’ for Boserup refers mainly to the tools and inputs used in agriculture, the primary productive activity in these societies. In arraying relationships between population, environment, and technology, Boserup proposes that it is generally agreed that successive change in technology has an important influence on the population size. The opposite side of the interrelationship, the influence of population size on technology, has attracted less attention (Boserup, 1981, p. ). In response, Boserup focus her attention on exploring the role of population as an independent variable that influences both the development of agricultural technology which, in turn, shape the productive capacity of resources. Boserup argues that in the short-term a period of sustained population growth would lower output per man hour. This occurs more intensive methods mean more hours of work on the part of the agriculture laborer. The ratio of output to labour cost, thus, deteriorates in the short run.In the long run, however, workers would become more efficient at the tasks required by the new intensive regime. More importantly, the growing population would stimulate more efficient production by allowing division of labor. Therefore, a growing population or increased population density leads ultimately to long run increase in output that outweigh short run declines (Boserup, 1965, p. 39-42). Boserup also states that for small populations with low density it is not worthwhile switching to more intensive regimes that require more labor inputs and that entail short-term productivity losses.She asserts that density must increase to a certain level before it is worthwhile accepting short term declines in labor output and the â€Å"hard toil of intensive agriculture† (Boserup, 1965, p. 51). Once higher densities occur, however, it becomes imperative for the population to undertake the increase labor investment of more intensi ve systems for the sake of the long term advantage of increased output. Boserup asserts that reliance on food imports to meet the gap between the growing populations food needs and production has undercut the ressure for domestic intensification of agriculture. By offering food aid and subsidized and concessionary food imports, the developed world has made it more attractive for many sub-Saharan African countries to import food rather than increase domestic production. She asserts that food imports also play a role in the continued lack of investment in rural areas. Dependence on food production lessens the need for investment in the domestic food production. This allows all resources to flow into the production of crops for export or urban industrial sector.This type of flow correspond with the major development models of export-led growth promoted by international organizations, such as world bank, in sub-Saharan Africa (Boserup, 1981, p. 202) The theory has been instrumental in u nderstanding agricultural patterns in developing countries, although it is highly simplified and generalized. The theory can be applied in Africa in the following ways; Boserup sees sub-Saharan Africa as historically a sparsely populated continent relative to other regions. As a result, subsistence agriculture and low-technology predominate in the region.Boserup states that â€Å"because past rates of population growth were much lower in Africa than in other parts of the world, extensive land-using subsistence systems, that is, long-fallow agriculture continue to be much more prevalent than elsewhere. In large parts of Africa, there is more land than the sparse population needs for growing crops† (Boserup, 1990, p. 258). Boserup’s theory can also be demonstrated in the Case study of Mauritius. Mauritius is an island country of 1860  km2 in area, located off the east coast of Africa.Farming and fishing are its main ventures, with agriculture accounting for 4. 6% of it s GDP. This is comprehensible since it has fertile soils and a tropical climate. Its exports are divided into four main categories: sugar (32%), garments (31%), plastics (32%) and others (5%). (Jain, 2005) Its population in 1992 was 1,094,000 people. For 2025, the estimated population is 1,365,000. This would mean a growth rate of 1. 45%, with a doubling time of 47 years. Its fertility rate was of 2. 17 children per woman. Jain, 2005) It is possible to notice how uneven population growth has been in Mauritius. At first it was a maintained at a more or less constant level, because there were almost equal values of birth and death rates. Around the 1950s, the birth rate increased significantly (from 35 per thousand to more than 45 per thousand). The death rate declined from 30 to 15 per thousand shortly afterwards. (Jain, 2005) The rate of natural increase was very great, and there was a great pressure on the country for resources because of this increasing population.It was then that the government had to intervene. It promoted family planning, restricted early marriage, provided improved health care and looked to improve the status of women. The government also worked on diversifying agriculture, invested in industry and improved trading links. With time, there were changes in general attitude toward family size and people were getting married later. As well, there was an improvement in educational and work opportunities for women (in 1975 employment of women was 22. 3%, by 1990 it had increased to 35. 5%). Many transnational companies came to Mauritius because of tax incentives, the Freeport at Port Luis, the large number of educated residents, a considerable amount of cheap labour and the good transport. This would assert to us Boserup’s theory that â€Å"necessity is the mother of invention. † Because the population had risen, the government had to take measures to adapt to this growth. It had to improve and diversify agriculture, so proving a gricultural intensification and that â€Å"population growth cause’s agricultural growth. (This idea is presented in The Conditions of Agricultural Growth: The Economics of Agrarian Change under Population Pressure; 1965. ) It also suggests that a country must improve its technology to be able to support the growing population, and that many technologies will not be taken advantage of if the population is not large enough. Mauritius had to build a Freeport and improve transportation to be able to maintain its population. (Jain, 2005) Chitemene system in Zambia is also one example of how Buserup’s theory is applicable to Africa.Chitemene system is a method of farming practiced in the Northern Province of Zambia in which fields are cleared by cutting down trees in order to make the soil fertile. This system was introduced as a result of population increase in Northern Province of Zambia. As population density increased, there was need for more food production, this led discovery of an agriculture system which could make land more fertile hence increasing food production for the growing population. Despite Boserup’s theory being considered as the optimum population theory it as some weaknesses in the African context.Some of these weaknesses are explained in this part of the text. Boserup did not put the law of diminishing returns into consideration when formulating her theory. Increasing labor at a fixed potion of land (increasing population density) would lead to an extent where each addition unit of labor would be adding less to output than what the previous unit added, this would reach a point where output starts decreasing. Most African countries have limited technology and hence increasing population density would lead to diminishing returns in agriculture. (Obadan. 004. P. 99) Another weakness in Boserup’s theory is lack of consideration of ecological factors that arise as a result of increase in population density which affect agriculture negatively. For example in Africa, Nigeria in particular, agriculture contributed more than 75 percent of export earnings before 1970. Since then, due to population growth, however, agriculture has stagnated, mostly due to ecological factors such as drought, disease, and reduction in soil fertility. By the mid-1990s, agriculture’s share of exports had declined to less than 5 percent.Once an exporter of food to nearby countries, Nigeria now must import food to meet domestic demand (keet, 1994: p. 55). It is clear that certain types of fragile environments cannot support excessive numbers of people in Africa for example the Barotse flood plains in Zambia. In such cases, population pressure may not lead to technological innovations as Boserup suggested. Boserup’s theory does not adequately account for lack of the impact of subsidization of agriculture production by developed countries on African.Subsidization of agricultural products by developed countries lea ds to African agriculture products fetching low prices at the international market which in turn discourages farming in Africa despite an increase in population density. Fontanel and Touatam (2004, p. 31) gave an example of trade in cotton. Without financial subsides from the government, the price of cotton production in the United States would be three times higher than the cotton production in most sub-Saharan Africa.Because of subsides to cotton producers in the United States and European union in 2001/2002, Africa had lost in that period US $920 million (Miroudot, 2004: 47). Boserup’s theory does not also account for the comflicts in some African states which hinder agricultural activities such as farming hence making them depend on foreign aid rather than domestically produced products. Ayttey (1998, p. 193) writes that in 1996, more than 20 million of Africans were refugees. These people, who have lost their homes, jobs, and possessions, should be the ones to go to scho ol, grow food, or work in factories and government and business administration.This has greatly contributed to the low food output levels in these countries. Boserup’s idea is based upon field studies in south east Asia and she developed her idea based on the number of assumptions, her ideas are not much applicable in Africa which the population is sparse since her field work was conducted in places with very high population densities like india. In conclusion, Boserup’s population theory may not alone fully explain the relationship between population growth, environment and technology but most importantly it has offered a complementary perspective to other theories.The theory has offered applicable solutions on the relationship between population growth and resources especially in Africa. BIBLIOGRAPHY Ayittey, G. 1998. Africa In Chaos, St. Martin’s press. New York Boserup, E. 1965. The Conditions of Agricultural Growth. Allen and Unwin, London. Boserup, E. 1981 . Population and Technological Change. Chicago press, Chicago. Boserup, E. 1990. Economic and Demographic Relationships in Development. The John Hopkins University press. London. Ehrlich, P. 1968. The Population Bomb: Ballantine. New York. Fontanel, J. and Touatam, A. 2004. The Rift. African Geopolitics. No. 13. Paris. OR. IMA INTERNATIONAL.Pp. 29-42. Keet, D. 1994. Systematic Destruction – IMF/World Bank Social Engineering in Africa. Track Two. The centre for intergroup studies. Vol. 2. No. 1. Pp. 10-11. Obadan, M. 2004. The External Debt Crisis: Strategies and policies. In African Development and Governance strategies in the 21st century. London . Zed Books. Pp. 140-164. Simon, J. 1981. The Ultimate Resource: Princeton university press. New Jersey. Aldine. (1965, 08 03). Women, Development and the UN. Retrieved 03 15, 2012, from wikipedia: http://www. wikipedia. com Jain, D. (2005, 03 16). ester buserup. Retrieved 03 15, 2012, from enotes. com: http://www. enotes. com Sources of Demo Data The issue of population and development has increasingly evolved into the ‘population, environment, and development nexus. In the face of this mandate for research on population and environment dynamics, different theoretical frameworks are brought on board. Ester Boserup was one of the scholars who have contributed to these theoretical frameworks hence this essay will attempt to expound Ester her theory of population growth and demonstrate how applicable the theory is to Africa. Later on, the weaknesses of the theory will be brought in with reference to the African context.Lastly a conclusion will summarize the whole essay. A theory is defined as a set of facts, propositions, or principles analyzed in their relation to one another to explain phenomena. (Chambers dictionary, 2005) Population growth is defined as the total number of people who inhabit an area, region, or country, or the number of people in a particular group who inhabit an area. Ester Boserup (May 18, 910 â€⠀œ September 24, 1999) was a Danish economist, writer. She studied economical and agricultural development, worked at the United Nations as well as other international organizations, and she wrote several books.Her most notable book is The Conditions of Agricultural Growth: The Economics of Agrarian Change under Population Pressure. (Aldine, 1965) This book presents a â€Å"dynamic analysis embracing all types of primitive agriculture. The work undoes the assumption dating back to Malthus’s time (and still held in many quarters) that agricultural methods determine population (via food supply). Instead, Boserup argued that population determines agricultural methods. A major point of her book is that â€Å"necessity is the mother of invention†.It was her great belief that humanity would always find a way and was quoted in saying â€Å"The power of ingenuity would always outmatch that of demand† in a letter to Northern Irish philosopher T S Hueston. She also influ enced debate on the role of women in workforce and human development, and the possibility of better opportunities of work and education for women. (Jain, 2005) According to Malthusian theory, the size and growth of the population depends on the food supply and agricultural methods. In Boserup’s theory agricultural methods depend on the size of the population.In the Malthusian view, in times when food is not sufficient for everyone, the excess population will die. However, Boserup argued that in those times of pressure, people will find ways to increase the production of food by increasing workforce, machinery, fertilizers, (Jain, 2005) Bosarupian theory focuses on the relationship between population, environment, and technology. Her concept of ‘population,’ encompasses population density as well as absolute size and growth. Her concept of environment refers mainly to land resources and related factors such as climate and soil quality.Since her focus is historical civilizations or developing countries, ‘technology’ for Boserup refers mainly to the tools and inputs used in agriculture, the primary productive activity in these societies. In arraying relationships between population, environment, and technology, Boserup proposes that it is generally agreed that successive change in technology has an important influence on the population size. The opposite side of the interrelationship, the influence of population size on technology, has attracted less attention (Boserup, 1981, p. ). In response, Boserup focus her attention on exploring the role of population as an independent variable that influences both the development of agricultural technology which, in turn, shape the productive capacity of resources. Boserup argues that in the short-term a period of sustained population growth would lower output per man hour. This occurs more intensive methods mean more hours of work on the part of the agriculture laborer. The ratio of output to labour cost, thus, deteriorates in the short run.In the long run, however, workers would become more efficient at the tasks required by the new intensive regime. More importantly, the growing population would stimulate more efficient production by allowing division of labor. Therefore, a growing population or increased population density leads ultimately to long run increase in output that outweigh short run declines (Boserup, 1965, p. 39-42). Boserup also states that for small populations with low density it is not worthwhile switching to more intensive regimes that require more labor inputs and that entail short-term productivity losses.She asserts that density must increase to a certain level before it is worthwhile accepting short term declines in labor output and the â€Å"hard toil of intensive agriculture† (Boserup, 1965, p. 51). Once higher densities occur, however, it becomes imperative for the population to undertake the increase labor investment of more intensi ve systems for the sake of the long term advantage of increased output. Boserup asserts that reliance on food imports to meet the gap between the growing populations food needs and production has undercut the ressure for domestic intensification of agriculture. By offering food aid and subsidized and concessionary food imports, the developed world has made it more attractive for many sub-Saharan African countries to import food rather than increase domestic production. She asserts that food imports also play a role in the continued lack of investment in rural areas. Dependence on food production lessens the need for investment in the domestic food production. This allows all resources to flow into the production of crops for export or urban industrial sector.This type of flow correspond with the major development models of export-led growth promoted by international organizations, such as world bank, in sub-Saharan Africa (Boserup, 1981, p. 202) The theory has been instrumental in u nderstanding agricultural patterns in developing countries, although it is highly simplified and generalized. The theory can be applied in Africa in the following ways; Boserup sees sub-Saharan Africa as historically a sparsely populated continent relative to other regions. As a result, subsistence agriculture and low-technology predominate in the region.Boserup states that â€Å"because past rates of population growth were much lower in Africa than in other parts of the world, extensive land-using subsistence systems, that is, long-fallow agriculture continue to be much more prevalent than elsewhere. In large parts of Africa, there is more land than the sparse population needs for growing crops† (Boserup, 1990, p. 258). Boserup’s theory can also be demonstrated in the Case study of Mauritius. Mauritius is an island country of 1860  km2 in area, located off the east coast of Africa.Farming and fishing are its main ventures, with agriculture accounting for 4. 6% of it s GDP. This is comprehensible since it has fertile soils and a tropical climate. Its exports are divided into four main categories: sugar (32%), garments (31%), plastics (32%) and others (5%). (Jain, 2005) Its population in 1992 was 1,094,000 people. For 2025, the estimated population is 1,365,000. This would mean a growth rate of 1. 45%, with a doubling time of 47 years. Its fertility rate was of 2. 17 children per woman. Jain, 2005) It is possible to notice how uneven population growth has been in Mauritius. At first it was a maintained at a more or less constant level, because there were almost equal values of birth and death rates. Around the 1950s, the birth rate increased significantly (from 35 per thousand to more than 45 per thousand). The death rate declined from 30 to 15 per thousand shortly afterwards. (Jain, 2005) The rate of natural increase was very great, and there was a great pressure on the country for resources because of this increasing population.It was then that the government had to intervene. It promoted family planning, restricted early marriage, provided improved health care and looked to improve the status of women. The government also worked on diversifying agriculture, invested in industry and improved trading links. With time, there were changes in general attitude toward family size and people were getting married later. As well, there was an improvement in educational and work opportunities for women (in 1975 employment of women was 22. 3%, by 1990 it had increased to 35. 5%). Many transnational companies came to Mauritius because of tax incentives, the Freeport at Port Luis, the large number of educated residents, a considerable amount of cheap labour and the good transport. This would assert to us Boserup’s theory that â€Å"necessity is the mother of invention. † Because the population had risen, the government had to take measures to adapt to this growth. It had to improve and diversify agriculture, so proving a gricultural intensification and that â€Å"population growth cause’s agricultural growth. (This idea is presented in The Conditions of Agricultural Growth: The Economics of Agrarian Change under Population Pressure; 1965. ) It also suggests that a country must improve its technology to be able to support the growing population, and that many technologies will not be taken advantage of if the population is not large enough. Mauritius had to build a Freeport and improve transportation to be able to maintain its population. (Jain, 2005) Chitemene system in Zambia is also one example of how Buserup’s theory is applicable to Africa.Chitemene system is a method of farming practiced in the Northern Province of Zambia in which fields are cleared by cutting down trees in order to make the soil fertile. This system was introduced as a result of population increase in Northern Province of Zambia. As population density increased, there was need for more food production, this led discovery of an agriculture system which could make land more fertile hence increasing food production for the growing population. Despite Boserup’s theory being considered as the optimum population theory it as some weaknesses in the African context.Some of these weaknesses are explained in this part of the text. Boserup did not put the law of diminishing returns into consideration when formulating her theory. Increasing labor at a fixed potion of land (increasing population density) would lead to an extent where each addition unit of labor would be adding less to output than what the previous unit added, this would reach a point where output starts decreasing. Most African countries have limited technology and hence increasing population density would lead to diminishing returns in agriculture. (Obadan. 004. P. 99) Another weakness in Boserup’s theory is lack of consideration of ecological factors that arise as a result of increase in population density which affect agriculture negatively. For example in Africa, Nigeria in particular, agriculture contributed more than 75 percent of export earnings before 1970. Since then, due to population growth, however, agriculture has stagnated, mostly due to ecological factors such as drought, disease, and reduction in soil fertility. By the mid-1990s, agriculture’s share of exports had declined to less than 5 percent.Once an exporter of food to nearby countries, Nigeria now must import food to meet domestic demand (keet, 1994: p. 55). It is clear that certain types of fragile environments cannot support excessive numbers of people in Africa for example the Barotse flood plains in Zambia. In such cases, population pressure may not lead to technological innovations as Boserup suggested. Boserup’s theory does not adequately account for lack of the impact of subsidization of agriculture production by developed countries on African.Subsidization of agricultural products by developed countries lea ds to African agriculture products fetching low prices at the international market which in turn discourages farming in Africa despite an increase in population density. Fontanel and Touatam (2004, p. 31) gave an example of trade in cotton. Without financial subsides from the government, the price of cotton production in the United States would be three times higher than the cotton production in most sub-Saharan Africa.Because of subsides to cotton producers in the United States and European union in 2001/2002, Africa had lost in that period US $920 million (Miroudot, 2004: 47). Boserup’s theory does not also account for the comflicts in some African states which hinder agricultural activities such as farming hence making them depend on foreign aid rather than domestically produced products. Ayttey (1998, p. 193) writes that in 1996, more than 20 million of Africans were refugees. These people, who have lost their homes, jobs, and possessions, should be the ones to go to scho ol, grow food, or work in factories and government and business administration.This has greatly contributed to the low food output levels in these countries. Boserup’s idea is based upon field studies in south east Asia and she developed her idea based on the number of assumptions, her ideas are not much applicable in Africa which the population is sparse since her field work was conducted in places with very high population densities like india. In conclusion, Boserup’s population theory may not alone fully explain the relationship between population growth, environment and technology but most importantly it has offered a complementary perspective to other theories.The theory has offered applicable solutions on the relationship between population growth and resources especially in Africa. BIBLIOGRAPHY Ayittey, G. 1998. Africa In Chaos, St. Martin’s press. New York Boserup, E. 1965. The Conditions of Agricultural Growth. Allen and Unwin, London. Boserup, E. 1981 . Population and Technological Change. Chicago press, Chicago. Boserup, E. 1990. Economic and Demographic Relationships in Development. The John Hopkins University press. London. Ehrlich, P. 1968. The Population Bomb: Ballantine. New York. Fontanel, J. and Touatam, A. 2004. The Rift. African Geopolitics. No. 13. Paris. OR. IMA INTERNATIONAL.Pp. 29-42. Keet, D. 1994. Systematic Destruction – IMF/World Bank Social Engineering in Africa. Track Two. The centre for intergroup studies. Vol. 2. No. 1. Pp. 10-11. Obadan, M. 2004. The External Debt Crisis: Strategies and policies. In African Development and Governance strategies in the 21st century. London . Zed Books. Pp. 140-164. Simon, J. 1981. The Ultimate Resource: Princeton university press. New Jersey. Aldine. (1965, 08 03). Women, Development and the UN. Retrieved 03 15, 2012, from wikipedia: http://www. wikipedia. com Jain, D. (2005, 03 16). ester buserup. Retrieved 03 15, 2012, from enotes. com: http://www. enotes. com

Jeanette’s childhood Essay

Jeanette’s childhood was much the same as Celie’s in the sense that it lacked a heterosexual relationship she could be influenced by. Jeanette’s parents aren’t shown to be in love; in fact they are hardly shown being together. When Jeanette asks her mother why she married her father, she replies not about love but about their responsibility to have a child and â€Å"dedicate it to the lord†(P. 10). Just like Celie, this lack of a loving parental relationship may have lead Jeanette to becoming a lesbian, as she hadn’t been exposed to any real love between a man and a woman. Throughout the two novels, neither primary character has a close relationship with a male. Instead, they find shelter with other women. The fact that Jeanette never has a close relationship with a man can give us hints to her inevitable sexuality, as she is not sexually attracted to them, shown when she â€Å"tried imagining him without his clothes on. Horrid. â€Å"(P. -), expressing her disgust of the male body and general distaste of men. Throughout Oranges Are Not The Only Fruit, she has a close relationship with a woman from church, Elsie. When Jeanette is sick in hospital, her mother rarely visits because she is busy, but Elsie comes every single day to â€Å"make me smile†(P. 29). This, as well as the fact Elsie sticks by Jeanette even after her lesbianism is revealed, almost seems to the reader that they have a parent/daughter relationship, where Elsie looks out for Jeanette and keeps her strong through hard times; Jeanette said â€Å"and my confidence restored (thanks to her)†(P. 30). Their closeness lasts until Elsie’s death. Her friendship and experiences with Mrs Jewsbury introduces Jeanette to homosexuality, which is a key turning point in the novel and can be seen to have had a huge impact on Jeanette’s sexuality. Like Jeanette, Celie shares closeness with women rather than men. While Jeanette’s distaste of men is more passive and subtle, Celie is hateful and wary of men because of the way she’s been treated by them. She lived in a time when men dominated the social hierarchy, so all the women had to stick together. This is shown when Celie meets Sofia, who has six brothers and five sisters, and says â€Å"all the girls stick together† (P. 39). It’s a possibility that Sofia’s words inspired Celie to find confidence in other women instead of suffering alone, because it is after this that Celie develops a close relationship with Sofia and Shug Avery,. The quilt Sofia and Celie make acts as a metaphor to show the power women can have when in numbers and the things they can achieve. Both Nettie and Mr. __’s sister, Kate, tell Celie â€Å"You got to fight†(P. 17 and 21) to encourage her, and Kate says â€Å"you deserve more than this†(P. 20), which helps Celie discover self-worth and gives her the confidence to leave Mr. ___. Kate shows Celie she is not alone, and the new dress Kate buys for her symbolises Celie’s newfound refuge with other women and the start of defining herself as a new, stronger person. Celie also seeks shelter from Shug, who she spends most of the novel admiring, and Shug takes on the responsibility of looking after her and introducing her to the idea of self-worth, empowering Celie as a woman. Their relationship is a major influence for Celie’s sexuality, despite the fact critic Trudier Harris calls it â€Å"The height of silly romanticism†1, implying it is unrealistic. I disagree with this, as I think their relationship is more sisterly than romantic, shown when Celie says â€Å"we sleep like sisters me and Shug† (P. 124) emphasizing how closely they’ve bonded. It is definitely not â€Å"silly† when looking at how much Celie gets out of their relationship, including redefining herself, questioning the word around her and discovering self worth, as stated before. Walker and Winterson both foreshadow the future lesbianism of Celie and Jeanette in various ways through symbolism and particular events. Jeanette’s lesbianism is hinted throughout the book, one example being the banana bar she is offered by the lesbian shopkeepers.

Elements That Influence State Government Essay

The special interest group we are going to look at is the Sierra Club. The sierra club is a body of volunteers that come together to fight for the environment. This interest group has offices in every state in the union. As we look at the Sierra Club in whole we will describe what this organization stands for and try to define its relationship two each of the political parties and lastly we will look at how the interest groups influences state government. According to Carl Pope, â€Å"We stand for the principle that ordinary people don’t believe that they’re here to use up the earth and have the bank account exhausted when they die; that most people really see the planet as an ongoing enterprise. They’re inspired by nature. They want to leave it behind and they feel responsible for it Pope (2008), (para. 1)†. That being said the sierra club is an organization with of over 750,000 members with a common goal in mind (Pope, 2008). That goal is to protect the earth we live on. What is unique about the sierra club is depending on what state you’re in, the sierra club will come at you in very different ways depending on the cause at hand. This means if you live in California, the sierra club will fight to protect water rights and conservation as well as air pollution. If one lives in Kentucky then the sierra club will fight you on coal while promoting wind industry. The unique thing the sierra club has going for it is that it has many different platform to speak from while fighting for a common goal. One of the ways the sierra club has found to gain support on different issues is to a line its self with different political party to gain the support and win favor with state voters. What this means is that the sierra club leverages power of their net work of volunteers and members in every state for the chance to help elect candidates that are environmentally friendly and in line with the thoughts and values that the sierra club represents. Another way the sierra club has grown in power is that they have endorsed like minded candidates from state, local, and municipal arenas. One of the ways that make the sierra club so effective in endorsing a candidate is the multi step process; each candidate receives before the sierra club will publicly support said candidate. The sierra club generally a lines its self with the Democratic Party because Democratic are more liberal than Republicans. For this reason this organization will give democrat contributions to help a candidate become elected to office. According the sierra club leadership the more like minded officials we have in office the more changes can be to the ongoing fight to help preserve the environment. The sierra club supports Kentucky Representative John Yarmuth Democrat (â€Å"Sierra Club Endorses John Yarmuth†, 2012). One of the reason the sierra club support Representative Yarmuth is because of his views on the environment, energy as well as the Kentucky Clean Water Protection Act. The Republican Party has not so lucky when it come to getting support from the sierra club. According to the Perspective a news letter, in this news letter the sierra club comments on how they do not believe the republicans care about the environment due to their stand on climate change. The perspective go’s o to tell about how thinks there is not enough scientific fact to support the accusation, it is for these types of reason that the sierra club has failed to support Republican candidates material (â€Å"The Republicans, The Sierra Club and the Environment†, 2012). Since the sierra club is disenchanted with the Republican Party they see very little money or contributions of any kind from this organization. So how does a special interest group influence state government? Interest groups are the ones that fund a lot of the politicians’ campaigns, so it’s usually an exchange of some kind of service. The interest groups push for certain legislation to go through the House of Representative, and then the Representative relies on their support in their next election. Organizations like the sierra club can influence government by getting candidates elected that have similar goals. Contributions of money on different issues help with advertizing to help sway voters or to inundate the public with information either for or against a cretin issue. Special interest groups like The Sierra Club has become very crafty in the different way they have found to influence government. Most people do not understand that interest groups don’t just lobby for legislation and wine and dine politicians. They actually write legislation, to give to politicians to sponsor. For example, the legislation popularly known as No Child Left Behind was actually commissioned by and basically written by an interest group called the Business Round Table. Another angle to look at is that interest groups often employ lobbyists who already have working relationships with the members of the House, and so these groups tend to have more influence over the way the legislation is worded. This way the lobbyist can protect and benefit the company or industry they are lobbying for. References Pope, C. (2008). Big Think. Retrieved from http://bigthink.com/ideas/2378 Sierra Club Endorses John Yarmuth. (2012). Retrieved from http://www.kentucky.sierraclub/newsroom The Republicans, the sierra club and the environment. (2012). Retrieved from http://povcrystal.blogspot.com/2012/08/the-republicans-sierra-club-and.html

Rising caesarean section rates in the developed world- what needs to Scholarship Essay

Rising caesarean section rates in the developed world- what needs to be done - Scholarship Essay Example These include: maternal health, age, education, marital status, ethnic background and socio-economic perspectives. Women in the developed world are generally career oriented, and therefore, usually delay child birth. Thus the age and the health factors have impeded the natural process of giving birth in such women. Elective C-section is also opted for by such women because they find it easier to get an appointment for a C-section rather than waiting for their water to break, or for the labour to begin unexpectedly. The fear of labour pains forces many women to choose elective C-section. Education of pregnant women is essential, so as to encourage them to go through the natural process of child birth. Media can play an important role in advocating vaginal birth and in preventing unnecessary C-sections in the developed world. The socio-economic factor of the women in the developed world is pushing the rates even higher. The cost of a C-section is higher than a vaginal delivery- no wonder how private hospitals pay hefty fees to their surgeons! Insurance coverage is a compelling factor for the physicians to opt for C-section because the majority of the litigation cases are based on the claim that a timely C-section was not performed. The health insurance policies in the developed countries deal strictly with cases of head injuries or cerebral palsy that may occur during vaginal birth. ‘But fear of malpractice and complications on the part of physicians also has increased the use caesareans unnecessarily, Flamm says. On average, 90% of breach-babies are delivered by C-section, as are half of twins. C-section rates also are higher among women with any history of sexually transmitted disease. But the single greatest factor in rising rates, Flamm says, is fear of malpractice suits.’ (Lowers, 37) The rise in the C-section rates in the developed world has become a cause of concern. To a certain extent, abdominal birth, or C-section birth is taking over the

Violence in the Nursing Profession Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Violence in the Nursing Profession - Essay Example It has been noted that nurses are easily exposed to violence in certain scenarios in the course of dispensing their duties, thereby increasing their vulnerability (Carter, 2000). The healthcare sector is faced with many challenges including limited budgets, low work motivation, low pay and understaffing. These challenges on their own create tension in the work environment and in most cases; nurses bear the brute of the frustration. Violence is in many forms including physical, psychological, sexual harassment, isolation and intimidation. The patriarchal medical model has contributed a great deal to this vice as nurses are seen as doctor’s handmaidens (O’Connell et al 2000).In this sense, doctors may form a condescending and intimidating attitude toward nurses whereby they feel their qualification and status is superior to those of nurses. Nurses also face violence from hospital visitors and patients, some of who express their grief, frustrations and misgivings to the nurses, who tend to be more available than doctors. Horizontal violence is also rampant, where nurses themselves administer violence on each. Studies show that nursing students during their clinical assignment in their courses are the most vulnerable to violence (Randle 2003). CASE STUDY 1 SUMMARY The first case study will look into the article dubbed â€Å"Aggression in the Workplace: A study of Horizontal Violence Utilizing Heideggerian Hermeneutic Phenomenology.† The article sought to ascertain the existence and rampant widespread of horizontal violence amongst nurses in healthcare institutions. One or more group members towards another member or section of the larger group (Duffy 1995) define horizontal violence as hostile or aggressive behavior. Studies show that the prevalence is high but majority of the cases go unreported due to fear of stigmatization and/or retribution (Farrel 1997).This case study also seeks to identify the impact of horizontal violence on the victims’ work performance and relationships with others. Study Design The Heideggerian hermeneutic phenomenology was the chosen method of research in this article. This qualitative approach by Heidegger, a German philosopher, proposes that all knowledge comes from people in t he world and the attempt to understand other people in the world. It thus means that we are always within the hermeneutic circle of Interpretation (Leonard 1989).With this design the researcher has a preliminary understanding of horizontal violence (Leonard 1989) and will be able to add personal experience and understanding to the research (Walter 1995). Sampling Strategies and Data collection In compiling information for this article, the use of questionnaires was employed. The sample size comprised of two registered nurses who had consensual agreed to take part in the study based on their expertise in the field (Field and Morse; 1985). The sample size was relatively small but since it was a qualitative analysis, sample size depended on the accuracy of the information given by the respondents and their abilities to do so. Data collection was done using recorded audio tapes. This method was the

Source Note Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Source Note - Assignment Example This trend has raised many health concerns in the United States. Researchers have also pointed the role of marketing in this sphere. Big giants like McDonalds and Burger King are responsible for this increased trend due to their aggressive marketing which is centered to focus more on children than any other group. Unawareness is a key factor that has played a major role in creating the ‘fast food trend’ among masses. People are not aware about their calorie intake by consuming high caloric and fatty foods. They do not possess the general idea about their daily calorie requirements. Thus, every time when they consume any fast food; their calorie intake increases. It has also left its adverse effects on the health of school-going children who are the primary consumers of fast foods. These children are more prone to obesity and obesity related diseases due to negligence of their parents, unawareness and aggressively targeted by various fast food chains. The percentage of obese children has increased from 5% in mid 1970s to 16% in 2000. These rates have raised many concerns related to the physical and mental well-being of children. Due to increased number of fast food restaurants, the percentage of obese children in America is growing with a sky-rocketing speed. Due to unhealthy lifestyle, unawareness and fast foods advertisements that are aimed to target children are directly responsible for increased percentage of overweight children. It is the duty of their parents that they should evoke the thought of a healthy lifestyle in the minds of their children and they should push them to eat healthy and balanced diet in order to stay healthy and active. Changing lifestyles and behavior have greatly influenced the eating pattern of an individual. People care less about what they eat. Due to this shift in behavior and habits, the fast food industry has expanded to a greater extent. Consumption of fast food has given rise to many

Antigone, Oedipus and Othello Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Antigone, Oedipus and Othello - Research Paper Example Thesis Statement This paper intends to present an in-depth study of the plays that have evolved from different ages in the literature through the manifestation of a comparative study. Along with that the comparative analysis of the themes present in the plays, culminates a perspective quintessential for the understanding of the role of these plays in comprehending the societies from which they have evolved. Comparison To compare the Greek plays Antigone and Oedipus with that of Othello by William Shakespeare, the first thing that will come under the scanner for choosing the parameter of comparison is the lapse of time running between the composition of Antigone, Oedipus and Othello. Yet, there are certain pre-cognitive planes on which the thread of comparison can be preceded. All the three plays are great tragedies of literature but Antigone is a tragedy of a princess and Oedipus and Othello speaks the tragic saga of two kings from two different parts of the world facing their predic ament at two different times, yet are united by their grief and suffering evolved out of misunderstanding, betrayal and infidelity with all-pervasive elements of destiny extending and exercising its spell on the characters of the play. Antigone was probably composed by Sophocles before or in the year of 442 B.C. Chronologically, Antigone stands in the third position among the three Theban Plays but it is assumed to be written first. The play focuses on the expansion of the Theban legend that is composed predated to it and picks up the note where Aeschylus’ ‘Seven Against Thebes’ ends. On the other hand, Oedipus is also composed by Sophocles and it is an Athenian tragedy that was first performed around 429 B.C. This play is the second in the chronological order among the three Theban plays but in the internal chronology, it comes first which is followed by Oedipus of Colonus and lastly by Antigone. Over the ages, Oedipus as a play has become the mark of the excellence which Greek culture and art possessed at that time and undoubtedly is one of the remarkable tragedies of all times (Knox, B. â€Å"The Date of the  Oedipus Tyrannus  of Sophocles†). Othello was composed by all-time master playwright of English literature, William Shakespeare and is assumed to be composed around 1603. Believed to be based on the Italian short story titled â€Å"Un Capitano Moro†, which in English means â€Å"A Moorish Captain†, the piece was composed by Cinthio who was a follower of Boccaccio. It is presumed to be first published in the year 1565. Othello as a tragedy has surpassed all the limits of the pain that love can bring and stands out as a shrine of aesthetic creativity, poetic verses and passionate presentation. All the three plays, Antigone, Oedipus and Othello are tragedies and all the three plays are set against a non-English background. Therefore, a comparative analysis of these plays would launch the readers into a platform that would yield a lot of information and perspective of Greek as well as Venetian society. At the same time, in all the three plays the role of women in society and their conditions from society to society at different times play important expression which would again launch into a macrocosmic interpretation of the social values pertaining during the different ages when the plays were composed.

MOTIVATION Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

MOTIVATION - Essay Example Batul Nafisa Baxamusa has written an article on equity theory even she has described various aspects of the theory. According to her, motivation factors usually differ from person to person. She states that few persons are motivated through the fame they earn whereas for most of the persons money is the motivating factor. While analyzing the Adam’s equity theory, she has brought into light an interesting fact that most of the employees tend to compare themselves with their coworker to judge the remuneration and reward provided to him and here lies the importance of the equity theory (Baxamusa, 2010). Yoon (2001) had highlighted the importance of the empowerment of the worker in the workplace. According to him, instead of being pleased with their jobs, few employees feel burnt out and powerless due to the increased workload and lack of job security. He proposed empowerment as the critical intrusion program to boost motivation (Yoon, 2001). Incentive is a part of motivation and Stolovitch (2004) has mentioned his two major findings regarding incentives at workplace. These two myth-breaking findings are â€Å"Incentives destroy personal, intrinsic interest in work† and â€Å"Incentives only results in paying more for the result you would have had anyway†. It has definitely a major impact on determination of the motivational factor in the workplace (Stolovitch, 2004). According to Amabile (2002), the prevailing psychological view of Motivation is that extrinsic motivation destabilizes the intrinsic motivation. He has proposed two mechanisms for the synergic combination of intrinsic and extrinsic motivation and those are ‘motivation-work cycle match’ and ‘extrinsic in service of intrinsic’ (Amabile, 2002). Hackman and Oldham (2004), have suggested a model consisting with the specifications under which an individual can internally be motivated and can perform the work effectively. It focuses on three categorical variables and

Acceptance of Homosexuality in the Society Essay - 2

Acceptance of Homosexuality in the Society - Essay Example The above statistics and conclusions clearly point towards genetic factors involved in homosexuality. Even though the percentage has slight differences, both identical twins and fraternal twins shows the tendency of becoming homosexuals if they genetic elements of homosexuality. The possibility of existence of homosexuality gene is widely discussed at present. â€Å"Although biologists are still far from answering this question, scattered evidence for a possible gene influencing sexual orientation has recently encouraged scientists to map out a guide to future research† (Is there a homosexuality gene?). Even though, such a gene has not been discovered yet, many of the biologists are confident of identifying such a gene which will answer all the questions related to the reasons of homosexuality. â€Å"Writing in the scientific journal Archives of Sexual Behavior, researchers from Queen Marys School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, and Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm report that genetics and environmental factors are important determinants of homosexual behavior† (Homosexual behavior due to genetics and environmental factors). Homosexuality is common in military. This is not because of genetic factors, but because of the environmental factors. Soldiers are not getting any opportunities for heterosexual activities and they will rely on homosexuality for relieving their sexual energy. Sexual activities are not only a biological need, but also a psychological need. If not relived properly, sexual energy can create immense problems to the living things.

The world was created by God Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The world was created by God - Term Paper Example In addition, there is no one being that has the power and skill to create the world. The Jainas contend that, if God were truly omnipresent and omniscient as claimed by the Naiyayika, then he would have to be everywhere and would require adsorbing himself to everything. Everything would have to be adsorbed to into his own self also, which would not leave anything to exist outside of him. His omniscient nature would also make him have the ability to experience hell since he would know everything and the knowledge he would have would be a direct experience. Therefore, his omnipresent and omniscient presence is put into question. The Jainas also contend that, a spiritual God would not have the ability to create material things because he had no raw material to do this. This argument posits that claiming the raw material rose naturally was to err because this would mean that the whole world might as well have created itself and come to be naturally in a similar way (Van Voorst 134). From this argument, the Jainas seem to contend that understanding the world as being the cause of an effect is difficult since if effect is taken to mean the world is made of parts, even space would, in this case, have to be regarded as having been an effect of God’s creation. If this effect were to mean that something that did not exist before being the result of a cause with coherence, it is not possible to talk of the world as being the effect of the creative ability of God because all atoms have been there since the beginning. In addition, if it means that God created things that are liable to being changed over time, then it should be argued that God was and still is liable to being changed. God would also need a creator who would create him and that creator would need another creator to create him and on and on. From the Jainas argument, such kind of creation would cause infinite regress. Finally, the Jainas contend that if God was complete and perfect prior to creating the world, the will to create the world would never have arisen in him, and if he were not perfect, he would not have the ability to create the world anymore than a potter would (Van Voorst 134). The view of God as an all-embracing and formless also renders him unable to create the world because he would have no desire to form or create anything. The Jainas contend that if God would have to be imperfect because he would have to possess the intelligence of humans. If this was not the case and God’s intelligence was only similar to that of humans, he would still have to possess a body because all intelligent beings in the world have bodies. Embodied intelligence is necessary if God should have the ability to produce a will. God would also not have gained any advantage from creating the universe since he is perfect as well (Van Voorst 134). According to the Jaina, it is unnecessary to assume a first-cause or a creator because there must also be a being who led to the first cause. F or the Jainas, it is more probable and logical to assume that the world has always existed and that it has gone through many changes (Jain 45). Nature and not a deity or God drives these changes, which also led to the Jainas not having any stories to explain creation. The world and everything that is in it, including motion principles, time, soul, space, and

Government Intervention in the Workplace and Economic Development Essay Example for Free

Government Intervention in the Workplace and Economic Development Essay In a free economic system, the decisions made by the buyers and decisions made by the suppliers, determine equilibrium prices and levels of output, in a free market. Scarce resources are thus allocated according to the competing pressures of demand and supply. An increase in demand of a product, signals the producers to increase the supply of the commodity, as potential profit levels increase so as to meet the increased demand. The working of a free market mechanism is a strong tool which has been used in determining allocation of resources among competing ends (Riley, 2006). There exists an increased claim that when issues, and policies are left on their own economic devices rather than instigating a state control on them, it would result to a more harmonious and equal society with increase in economic development. This concept is based on the liberal theory of economics which was first believed to be formulated by Adam Smith. It proposes a society where there is minimal government intervention in the economy. When government intervenes in workplaces, does it result to economic development? This is an issue of contention between various economists, and we shall look at both the advantages and the disadvantages of government intervention in working places and the effect on economic development (Mishra, Navin Geeta, 2006). The government has various goals and it may intervene in the price mechanism, in order to change resource allocation, with a view to attain a specific social or economic welfare. The government intervenes in the free market system so as to influence allocation of resources in ways that will be favorable in meeting their goals. These goals might include correcting a market failure, achieving a more equitable wealth distribution in the economy, or general improvement in the performance of the economy. These interventions however come with a certain cost on the working of economic systems (Mishra, Navin Geeta, 2006). Government has continually set rules and regulations that govern conditions and operations in work places. These rules and regulations, may affect supply or output of a certain commodity. We shall examine different areas that the government has intervened in work places and its consequent effect on the economy. It is in order for government to intervene as it has multiple macro-economic goals of achievement of economic development, full employment, and price stability, among others. These goals sometimes are contradictory as the achievement of one goal affects the attainment of the other (Brux, 2008). Price controls In various work places the government can impose price controls. There are two forms of price controls which can be imposed by the government. The government can impose high prices for certain goods which are referred to as floor prices. This is a price that is set in which a commodity cannot be sold below this price. Consumers are thus required to pay high prices for these commodities regardless whether the demand is low or otherwise. It ensures that the income by the producers of these commodities is higher than they could have otherwise obtained in a deregulated market (Petkantchin, 2006). The other type of price control is what is referred as price ceiling. It is a price that is set by the government, whereby suppliers are not allowed to exceed this price. It is an incentive to ensure that needy buyers or consumers can obtain this commodity at a lower price. This control is mostly found in the main utilities such as telecommunications, water, gas and others. Free market economists argue that this control increases the burden of costs to businesses which damage their competitiveness as a result of huge amount of red tape (Riley, 2006). When prices are freely set by the market, they easily regulate the economy. Producers are able to determine which products are highly valued and preferred by the consumers, they help them ascertain the management methods and technologies which will produce the greatest economic well being. Firms therefore attain incentives in order to innovate, integrate desired management skills in order to produce the desired commodities. Prices are also good indicators of the availability of resources. If the price of a commodity increases as a result of shortage, it signals the producer that, the there is a need to cut back on wastage of that resource, and efficient use of it. In general terms, prices enable economic players to enhance the most efficient use of scarce economic resources. When the government controls prices, whether in form of a price floor or a price ceiling, then it becomes a disadvantage to the economy (Petkantchin, 2006). The government requires that in order for a certain business to be conducted, a license is necessary. This is a form of government intervention in work places, since it creates barriers to entry for potential competition. According to Brux (2008), licenses are issued to ensure that customers are protected from inferior quality goods and services. Licenses however, are harmful to these consumers when they are a requirement of the law. This is because they reduce the availability of a certain commodity or service in a particular area, more so when there is a quota on the number of licenses to be issued. It is also detrimental to the well being of the consumers when the license fees are so high that smaller competitors cannot afford. This limits entry to a certain market which can be a way of creating monopoly. Prices charged on the commodity are higher than when there is a more liberal market. This affects the economic well being of a nation. The government also intervenes in work places by the use of fiscal policies. It alters the level and the pattern of demand for a particular commodity in the market which has its consequences in economic development. One such policy is the use of indirect taxes on demerit goods. This includes goods such as alcohol, tobacco consumption among others. Their consumption comes with a certain cost on the health or the general welfare of the consumer. The government induces such taxes, in order to increase the price and thereby increase the opportunity cost of consumption. Consumer demand towards such commodities decreases. This intervention means that these industries would not perform at their optimal point. They reduce their production so as to cater for the reduced demand of their commodities. It is a compromise on full employment that macro economic policies try to achieve, and as a result lower the level of economic development (Brux, 2008). Employment laws that govern businesses have been put in place by the government. They are a form of government interventions that also affect economic development. In the employment law, the government offers some legal protection for workers by setting the maximum working hours or setting the minimum wages to be paid to workers. Organizations are thus controlled in form of wages paid to workers, which should have otherwise been left to be determined by the competitive laws of labor demand and supply. The effect of this intervention is an increase in the amount that an organization spends on wages. There is also a limitation that is placed by the government in form of working hours. This acts to curtail production levels which have a negative effect on the GDP. The profitability of the firm is also affected by increasing its operation costs. This reduces organizational profits that would have been used to increase the level of organizational investments (Riley, 2006). When the government pays subsidies, it intervenes in the work places as it will obtain the money from businesses and public borrowing. This is an increase in public expenditure which means that the government has to increase the interest rates in order to attract funds from investors. Increase in interest rates has negative effect on businesses. This is because the cost of borrowing finances for investments increases which reduces the overall profitable ventures that are available for the business. The overall activity of business is thus curtailed or in more general terms the level of investment in the economy decreases. A decrease in the level of investment reduces the aggregate demand which inhibits economic development (FunQA. com, 2009). Government intervention is sometimes in form of tariffs. The government intervenes in imported products by imposing high taxes on them. They do this in order for the government to earn income and protect the local industries. When a consumer consumes these goods, he/she pays high prices for them which make the consumer worse off. The consumer is thus forced to consume less of other products and services. In the macro economy, the effect is to reduce demand of other goods and services which will make the economy to be worse off. This government intervention has a negative impact on economic development (Pearson Education Inc. , 2010). It is very common for both the small and big businesses to call in the government so as to protect them. Small businesses requests the government to offer them less regulation while increase the same on the big businesses. They also ask for fair pricing laws which act to hurt the consumers. Pricing laws keep prices for commodities high, since they come in form of price floors and hurt efficient competitors. This is because efficient competitors are capable of offering the same commodity in form of quality and quantity at a lower price but the law by the government prohibits such. Competition is thus hindered to a greater extent as prices are maintained at a high level. If the commodity in question is an essential commodity, it would results to inflation which has adverse effects on economic development (Brux, 2008). Market Liberalization The government sometimes uses its power in order to introduce fresh competition into a certain market. This will happen in the case where the government breaks the monopoly power of a certain firm. It ensures that competitors can penetrate the market which enhances the quality of products and services which are offered to the consumers. It introduces a more liberal economy, where the market is not controlled by one player who dictates on the prices and the level of output. These are the laws of competition policy, which act against price fixation by companies and other forms of anti-competitive behavior (Riley, 2006). Other benefits that arise from government intervention include correction of externalities. Externalities can be defined as the spill over costs or in some cases benefits. Externalities make the market to operate in a level that the amount of output and the level of production are not at a socially optimal level. When there is a lot of corn being produced, the law of demand and supply will mean that price has to decrease as supply exceeds demand. When the government allows the price of corn to decrease beyond a certain level, the producers of corn will be at a loss which will de motivate further production of corn. In such circumstances, the government intervenes by the use of price floor where price would not go below that limit. Leaving the market forces to adjust the price and output will socially affect some sectors of the economy and as such lead to the welfare of citizens being worse off (Pearson Education Inc. , 2010). Another reason as to why the government intervenes in the economy is to correct market failures. Consumers sometimes lack adequate information as to the benefits and costs which come from the consumption of a certain product. Government thus imposes laws that will ensure that the consumers have adequate information about the products so as to improve the perceived costs and benefits of a product. Compulsory labeling that is done on cigarette packages is one of those legal concerns that give adequate health warnings to cigarette smokers. It is a way in which the government protects its citizens from exploitation and harmful habits that would affect them in the long run. This might have a short term effect in form of decreased profits on Tobacco manufacturers, but long term effects on improved health of consumers and a saving on future medical expenses (Riley, 2006). According to Riley (2006), it will be known that government intervention does not always result into the plans and strategies set or prediction by economic theory. It is rare for consumers and businesses to behave the way the government exactly wanted them to behave. This in economics has been referred to as law of unintended consequences which can come into play in any government intervention. This would have negative consequences on the economic level since inappropriate policies would mean negative effects and influence. The market is able to maintain itself in equilibrium through price mechanisms and other economic factors. When the government intervenes, it affects this smooth operation of the market and this may lead to either shortages or surpluses. The effect becomes worse when the government relies on poor information in making these interventions in workplaces. The effects might be expensive to the administration of businesses, and the interventions might also be disruptive to the operations of the business if these interventions are major and frequent. It might also remove some liberties (Pearson Education Inc. , 2010). Government interventions in workplaces should not be aimed to create great changes in the market. The conditions prevailing in the economy should be well reviewed and analyzed. This will ensure that threats that can damage the economy have been identified and measures against such taken. It would be of great advantage if government interventions are designed to facilitate the smooth working of the economy rather than implementing a new and a direct control over the market. They should be assessed on whether they lead to a better use of scarce resources, whether fairness is being upheld in the intervention and whether the policy enhances or reduces the capacity of future generations in improving economic activity (Riley, 2006). Conclusion Some economists believe that with perfect competition, there will be no need for any government intervention. Is it therefore wise to leave the economy to the doctrine of laissez-fare where there is no control or intervention by the government? As much as there exists some negative effects on economic development due to government control, the benefits which accrue as a result of controlled government intervention would be under no circumstances be compared with the risks that would accrue when the government adopts the liberal economic structure. References Brux, J. (2008). Economics Issues and Policy. 4th ed. Ohio: Cengage Learning FunQA. com, (2009). Economics: Advantages and Disadvantages of Government Intervention? Retrieved 21 May 2010, from http://www. funqa. com/economics/92-Economics-2. html Mishra, R. Navin, B. Geeta P. eds. (2006). Economic liberalization and public enterprises. ISBN 8180692574 Pearson Education, Inc. (2010). Reasons for government intervention in the market. Retrieved 21 May 2010, from http://wps. pearsoned. co. uk/ema_uk_he_sloman_econbus_3/18/4748/1215583. cw/index. html Petkantchin, V. (2006). The Pernicious Effects of Price Controls. Retrieved 21 May 2010, from http://docs. google. com/viewer? a=vq=cache:mYXWxJC6EpMJ:www. iedm. org/uploaded/pdf/avr06_en. pdf+Price+controls+and+their+effectshl=engl=kepid=blsrcid=ADGEEShvcqptHKj3Y_Mrxy5hhG7resIp_Y7FVbxWwhBqmLTBqzdSn3hvuXLutFYW9m1uRWom_D5InOy5G5Jp5AMTuCoFxKA-Rj-1tbrOA0PrnDz5VOBbruMR2HYdYcYm-SLf5Oq_aZBmsig=AHIEtbTFfKO-NWp1d5bX2HTlouAB_gP1fQ Riley, G. (2006). Government Intervention in the Market. Retrieved 21 May 2010, from http://tutor2u. net/economics/revision-notes/as-marketfailure-government-intervention-2. html

Formation and retention of nutrients Essay Example for Free

Formation and retention of nutrients Essay The world is ridden with many resources that are often taken for granted. Some of these resources have to be dug up or mined, but many are spread out all over the land for the taking. One of these natural gifts that has found indispensable use in our society is peat. Peat is a combination of various things, mostly vegetable and plant matter that has decayed over millions of years. (Smith) The proper term for this process is carbonization, and while peat has yet to completely carbonize into coal, this can take thousands of years more. (Smith) Although peat is composed of many other vegetation decaying over the years, most of it is moss. (Smith) The decay of these materials occurs â€Å"mostly under anaerobic (oxygen-deficient) conditions†. (LMU) Peat in its raw form contains 96% water (LMU) and is harvested primarily for fuel and agricultural (fertilizer) purposes. (Smith) The process of peat decay causes the material to â€Å"store organic carbon which is released into the atmosphere as carbon dioxide or methane, greenhouse gasses that affect global climate. † (LMU) The gases released by peat as it decomposes are highly flammable. However, peat, in its natural form is totally harmless because it is â€Å"too wet to burn†. (LMU) In certain cases where the natural state of peat is disturbed it becomes vulnerable to fire, which is often the cause of forest fires or fires commonly occurring in wetlands. This can be very dangerous because burning peat can release smoke that contains aerosols and toxic gases, which can result to respiratory diseases and problems. (LMU) Peat is best harvested, obviously, after hundreds of thousands of years, or the time it takes for the materials to totally decompose. Peat bogs have a surface living layer that gets destroyed when mature peat, beneath the living layer is harvested. (LMU) Of the many uses of peat, fuel is the most common. In remote areas where there are no other resources, peat is used for energy production. (LMU) Peat is â€Å"shown to be an economical alternative to oil or coal-fired electric-power generating stations in some circumstances† (LMU) and it is also used to produce methanol. Peat can also be used as garden fertilizer as it is an efficient moisture retainer. Using it in gardens can promote the formation and retention of nutrients. Some companies also use peat as a raw material in producing biodegradable planters. (Smith) â€Å"Peat can also be used to make paper, pad livestock beds, or pack products for shipment. † (LMU) Peat is also a decorative implement in creating handicraft and artwork. Many handmade crafts and arts use peat as an aesthetically pleasing accent. Peat is an irreplaceable resource, if not for eternity, for this generation at least, because it will take hundreds of thousands of years in the future for other peat layers to form. However, peat is abundant nowadays in many countries all over the world, but the indiscriminate harvesting of this resource can lead to ecological imbalance and eventually, its irreversible depletion. Like any other natural resource, peat should be harvested reasonably to preserve existing peat bogs and ensure that plenty will be available for future generations to use. Like oil, which is a fossil fuel, peat has to be harvested with much discretion because once all of it is gone, we will all have to wait for hundreds of thousands of years to harvest it again – surely, none of us can live that long.

Introduction To European Food Cultural Studies Essay

Introduction To European Food Cultural Studies Essay Europe is not an unfamiliar name in an individual mindset. Many people aspire to go to Europe as it has a varied amount of distinctive features in terms of food and culture. Composing a major part of the world Europe is the second smallest continent having the third highest population and consists of fifty individual countries. The overlapping cultures of Europe are a distinctive feature perceived by the travellers. In terms of weather the Northern Europe has is covered with a blanket of cold and shorter winters and cooler summers than Southern Europe. However in the East and the West the winters are longer and colder and the summers are shorter and hotter. On the other hand Moscow which lies in the same latitude, it has an average January temperature if 14 degree F (-10 degrees). The central and Southern part of Europe has a warm and a moderate climate so the agricultural cultivation is possible. A country or a region is otherwise also recognised by its cuisine and it plays an important role in standing up for the popularity of the same. The cuisine in Europe is primarily inhabited by the local available products and is also influenced by the cultural factors. Hence the importance of culture cannot be ignored. European cuisine is also known as the western cuisine as it is represented by taking all the cuisines from Europe and western countries into consideration. The East Asians used European cuisine to differentiate between the European cuisine and Asian cuisine. It is also known as continental cuisine in some parts of the United Kingdom. On the other hand the westerners from North America, Australia and Latin America who travelled to the Europe increased the popularity of the cuisine globally and hence the dishes in Europe were categorised as European cuisine. Northern cuisine included the Danish cuisine, Finnish cuisine, Estonian cuisine, Irish cuisine, Swedish cuisine, English cuisine, Scottish cuisine, Welsh cuisine and Anglo- Indian cuisine. On the other hand the South European cuisine consists of the Croatian cuisine, Spanish cuisine, Turkish cuisine, Italian cuisine and Portuguese cuisine. The Eastern European cuisine is majorly influenced by the climate and consists of the German cuisine, Polish cuisine, Russian cuisine, Romanian cuisine, Ukrainian cuisine and Hungarian cuisine. Last but not the least the Western cuisine includes Austrian cuisine, Belgian cuisine, French cuisine, German cuisine and Swiss cuisine. http://www.europeword.com/blog/europe/european-cuisine, Accessed on 10TH March 2010 See full size image http://www.enchantedlearning.com/europe/italy/Italy_color.GIF,Accessed on 10TH March 2010. ITALY Italian cuisine has always considered one of the main influences of the new American cuisine developing in the United States, although it certainly is major influence, many people dont realize that only a fraction of the true Italian cuisine has made its way across the ocean. Whenever you look in Italy a robust love of cooking and an appreciation for the finer things in cuisine is found in Italy. This approach to eating and cooking developed differently in every region of Italy, resulting in one of the most varied and complicated national cuisine in the world. Italy is a dynamic country that has experienced many outside influences on its native culture and cuisine throughout history. Italy was once the home of the great Roman Empire which spread its influence across southern Europe northern Africa, and into Middle East, and the culture of these areas left their imprint on the Italian Cuisine as well. The ancient Greeks were know for their appreciation of the arts and many culinary traditions developed by the Romans in present days Italy are credited to the influence of the Greeks in Romans life. During the Greek Empire (600 BC-200BC) the Greek settled many colonies for trading purposes many of which developed into some of todays cities including Naples and Reggio. The Greek also settled Sicily and brought with them many ingredients that are now main elements of the Sicilian table, including grapes, olives, citrus and several preparations of the local seafood. In AD 827, Moorish Arabs conquered Sicily and ruled the island for 200 years, along with the parts of southern Italy and Sardinia, and they brought with them an understanding of distillation example Marsala fortified wine and grappa and freezing techniques example gelato (frozen flavoured milk), sorbet (frozen flavoured juice), and granite (slushy flavoured ice).Some of the ingredients the Arabs brought with them were spinach, pine nuts, eggplants, coffee, bitter oranges, rice, sugar, almonds, Marzapan and spices and many of the ingredients became regular components of Sicilia as well as Italian cuisine. The Arabs ruled Sicily and other parts of Italy and brought many of the sweet preparation that is found in Italian and in Sicilian Cuisine. The use of sugar in preparation of sweet dishes such as cannolis (fried pastry stuffed with sweetened cheese and other ingredients) and cassatas (rich cakes with dried fruit and marzipan topping) as well as numerous frozen desserts. The inhabilants of western Europe (Scandinavia, England and a part of France0 invaded southern Italy in AD 1000 and fought for control of the land, during which time baccala (salt cod) was introduced to the Italians. Spain fought with France for many years for influence in the Mediterranean and also rules Sicily from AD 1550 to AD 1714, during which time many of the new world ingredients were introduced to the peninsula including chiles, chocolate, tomatoes corn, potatoes and beans. Corn was quickly adopted in northern part of Italy but it took much longer for some of the ingredients from the Americans to obtain general acceptance in Italy. The French have a long history of rule over areas of Italy, such as the former area of Savoy in the north western Italy or cross cultural influences. The marriage of Catherine de Medici to the eventual king of France is but one example of why culinary traditions and ideas flowed so freely between the two countries. Refined sauces. Roasted meats. Stewed meats and vegetables, pureed soups and the prevalence of cheese all reveal this connection. The northern part of Italy that borders Austria was under Austrian control in 1713, and this period relate in similarity between northern Italy and Austria. Crauti, strudel. and goulash found in north of Italy. MacVeigh, J. (2009) International Cuisine. New York: Delmar Top of Form ITALIAN CUISINE Modern Italian cuisine can be identified by its two branches the northern part region of Italy which include Val DAosta region which borders France and includes major cities Aosta and Turin. This region includes some culinary traditions that resemble French tradition and recipe. The region once was a part of a kingdom called Savoy. The common ingredients from this area are mushroom, chestnut, corn, young ox, pheasant. Some of the product that are produced in the Valley of Aosta include fontina, which may be found in local fonduta (melted cheese dip) as a means of using the scraps of left over cheese cutting. The cured meats and sausages from this region are also well known and include pancetta steccata, coppa al ginapro, and mocette. This region has produced a number of local specialities including zuppa di pane (bread soup), carbonade sauce with pancetta and egg), montebianco (sweetened chestnut puree) and polenta cunsa (polenta layered with cheese and mushroom). Piemonte which is located in east of the Aosta Valley and is also situated within the Alps. This region includes cities like Turin and Asti and has culinary connection with France. The Piedmont area includes the foot hills of the Apls, which are rich in game and truffles, as well as the PO valley, where much of the quality rice is grown which is used to make risotto. Some of the ingredients found in this region are hazelnut, truffles, manzo, Arborio and carnaroli. Some of the recipes and products common to this region are tomini, bagna caoda, castelmango, bollito misto, salsa verde, risotto, grissini and zabaglione. Lombardia region in Italy occupies the centre of the most northern section of Italy, with its northern neighbour of Switzerland bordering its northern reaches. This region is the birth place of well known recipes as risotto alla Milanese. Pannetone. Osso bucco and tortelli de zucca as well as the producer of bresaola, gorgonzola, bel paese, Asiago and mascarpone.Some of the ingredients used in this region are butter, asparagus, pork,oca,trout and squash. Veneto region is the most eastern portion of the Po vally that stretches towards the Adriatic Sea.Veneto includes the ramous city of Venice, which was once the major port of Europe and controlled the trade of coffee, salt, spice and sugar. Some of the common ingredients of this region include granoturco, riso, radicchio, fagioli, asparagus, zucca, cavolo, patatas, pesce and burro. The region product and recipe include pasta and beans, rice and peas, carpaccio, polenta and tiramisu. Friuli Venezia Guilia is the most eastern part of Italy and borders Austria to its north. Slovenia to its east and the Adriatic Sea to its south. It has been significantly influenced by its northern neighbours, including Austria Hungary, Slovenia and Croatia. This area include Trieste an important seaport to the region that dish. Has a long incorporation of ingredients from countries such as poppy seeds, paprika, caraway and horseradish. The most commonly used ingredients in this area are polenta. Liguria region is bordered by Piedmont to the north and by Emilia- Romagna and Tuscany to the east and includes the major city of Genoa. Some of the common ingredients used in this area are sultanas, rabbit, basil, pine nuts, walnuts, olive and fish. Some of the common dishes are pesto alla Genovese, vincigrassi, salsa di noci, trenette, gnocchi, buridda(fish soup), torta pasqualina, ravioli and focaccia. The western and the northern portion of Emilla Romagna includes the southern part of the Po valley while the southern portion dominated by the Apennines Mountain that run run through the heart of Italy. Some of the major cities include Parma, Bolongna, Reggio, Modena, and Piacenza and each contributes to the richness of the cuisine of the region. The ingredients commonly used in this region are mela, maiale, milk, sole, eel, tomato, grapes, oregano, and other aromatic herbs. Some the common recipes are brodetto, anolini, tortellini, tagliatelle and lasagne. The piquancy of southern cooking comes from herbs and spices. Especially garlic and chilli peppers. Italy first pasta was produced in the south though noodles were preceded by flatbread called focacce. Arab established a pasta industry in the Sicily using durum wheat for dried pasta. Short type of pasta is referred as maccheroni and long type of pasta is referred as spaghetti and vermicelli. Spiral shape fusilli, oblique tubes called penne, and larger tubes called ziti and zite are also popular. Fresh pasta is also prized, sometimes but not usually made with eggs, in such familiar dishes are lasagne, fettuccine and ravioli. MacVeigh, J. (2009) International Cuisine. New York: Delmar Equipment used in Italian Cuisine See full size image Pasta Machine: A stainless steel, hand- cranked pasta machine helps cooks churn out homemade pastas. These are clamped to the edge of a table or counter, and a variety of sizes and shapes of pasta are rolled out through various attachments. http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:hb7s4GLVWw9RhM:http://fantes.com/images/14870mezzaluna.jpg Messalina: A mezzaluna is a half-moon-shaped knife with handles at the ends of the blade; Cooks roll the blade from side of side to chop herbs and vegetables. Be careful using a mezzaluna as the blade is extremely sharp. http://t2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:5sdS0vFyO9l_vM:http://www.saltandpepper.co.uk/cms_images/product/large_JudgePastaPot.jpg Pasta Pot: A five quart pot is a good size for cooking for two. Purchase one with an inner draining basket that has handles. Once the water has come to a boil and pasta is cooked, raise the basket up by its handles to drain. http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:WQJ_jpEFD7y5NM:http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f4/Zest_Grater.jpg Grater: A basic, four-sided grater will work just fine for most needs. Another option is a rotary cheese grater, which has a container to catch the cheese. The grater may have different-size apertures as well. http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:UztbK8JgsY96_M:http://www.hospitalitywholesale.com.au/products/ravioli-cutter1.jpg Ravioli: A nifty tool is a ravioli cutter, which is handy for cutting ravioli or pizza. http://www.ehow.com/facts_5317888_italian-cooking-equipment.html Accessed on 13th January 2010 http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/europe/spain_mineral_1974.jpg http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/europe/spain_mineral_1974.jpg, Accessed on 10tth March 20102. SPAIN Like many other Mediterranean countries Spains culinary heritage can be traced back to the Roman times and much later to the Middle East and the Moors. The Spanish were justifiably proud of themselves when in 1492 the Moorish strong hold at Grenada was conquered, which was to be the beginning of a period of trade and a colonial power. At its zenith the Spanish realms took in all of Spain, Portugal, Hollad, parts of Italy and the North and Central America, most of the Caribbean island and all the South America continent. It is understandable that Spain has absorbed a whole range of cookery styles to produce its own distinctive style. The fertile country attracts millions of visitors each year and supplies many of its European neighbours with high quality fruit and vegetables of all kind and in all season. It has European largest fishing fleet and produces many very fine wines. Many of its popular dishes are mixture of fish, selfish, meat, poultry and game with an assortment of vegetables and cereals. The language of Spain reflects the inherent diversity. Even though Spanish is the official language, other languages in Spain are highly dominant in parts of the country and have been officially recognized. The Spanish culture would not be complete without mentioning two of the most popular customs of Spain: flamenco and bullfighting. These customs are synonymous an important part of any fiesta or carnival in Spain. Finch, C.F. and Cracknell, H.L. (1997) International Gastronomy. England: Addison Wesley Longman Limited. Spain Cuisine The cuisine of Spain is simple hearty and flavourful. In the Iberian Peninsula, there is no haute or classic cuisine that divides the social strata. Dishes are the same on the dinner tables of rich and poor alike. Spanish cooking with its diverse influence is Europe melting pot. Ex the use of fins and seafood as staple ingredients, and the preservation of fish as a cooking technique came from the Phoenicians. The use of olive oil and grape wine was introduced by the Greeks. Garlic arrived via the Romans while spices such as cinnamon, cloves, ginger, nutmeg, pepper and cumin were brought by the Arabs. Gaspacho, a popular tomato based soup served cold, also came from the Arab cusine. Cocido Middleno, the national dish illustrates the abundance and vigor of Spanish cooking. Cocido is a slow cooked hearty stew that blends textures and flavours of chicken, beef, pork, chorizo sausages, veal and a staple ingredient of garbanzos {chick peas}. Cabbage, potatoes carrots onions and noodles are also added. The stew is served with a variety of sauces and always with fresh, crusty bread. The northern region of Spain includes the Atlantic coast of Spain above Portugal and the north central Basque region bordering the Atlantic and the southern western corner of France. The climate of this region is wetter than much of the rest of the country. Some of the products and recipes of this region are idiazabal (semisoft sheep milk), empnadas (savory filled pies), bacaloa a la viscaina (salt cod with chillies), pil-pil (sauce made from cod, garlic and olive oil) and caldo gallego (broth with ham, beans and sausage). Catalonia and Aragon lies to the north of France and Mediterranean lies towards the east. The climate of Catalonia has a mild climate and is surrounded by a harsher terrain and climate. This region is more complex in its varied ingredients. Where as the climate of Aragon region is much harsher then Catalonia region. Some of the common ingredients used in this region are tomatoes, spring onion, chiles, asparagus, and wild mushroom. The common recipes used in this region are pa ambtomaquet (grilled bread rubbed with ripe tomatoes), calcotada (spring onion grilled and served with rosesco sauce), and crema catalane custard with caramelized sugar on top), Camerano (fresh goat milk cheese) and samfaina (summer vegetable sauce or stew). The Balearic Island lies to the eastern coast of Spain in the Mediterranean Sea and relies heavily on the sea. The specialities of this region are pa pages (compressed fig, anise and bread cake), burrida (fish soup eith almond) and caldereta de langosta (lobster stew). Tapas served in appetizer sized portions, are uniquely Spanish and one of the most delighted aspects of Spanish cuisine. They range from very simple fare such as cured ham and simple canapà ©s, to sophisticated dishes that use fresh snails, caviar, frog legs and quail. Also famous is paella a colourful rice dish with seafood or meats and various vegetables and saffron.Paella was invented in 200 years ago. It is a summer dish, intendedfor picnics, and generally cooked by men in a flat pan set over a charcoal. Desserts include flan a variety of caramel custards and the Andalusian Yemas a confection of Moorish origin that uses egg yolks and sugar. In addition to sherry and fine wines, Spaniards frequently serve sangria a cocktail of red wine brandy fresh fruit and soda water. MacVeigh, J. (2009) International Cuisine. New York: Delmar Equipment Used in the Spanish Kitchen http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:OGhvjSePAnJzGM:http://www.hospitalitywholesale.com.au/products/black-iron-paella-pan1.jpg The Paellero or Paella Pan is a hugely important piece of Spanish kitchen equipment which is used to make paella. It is a large round shallow pan that has been used from generation to prepare the world famous Spanish Dish. http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:o6VbjyALXUGEYM:http://www.tienda.com/images/recipes/pix_cazuelas.jpg The earthenware dish or Cazuelas makes a regular appearance in the Spanish kitchen. They are available in very small cookware which is used to serve tapas. The Spanish kitchen will be in completed with this cookware because they retain the heat after cooking it is perfect for Gambas al pil-pil a classic spicy dish of chill and garlic prawns. http://t1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:1NmpCEmgoeOUkM:http://www.ioshenonline.co.uk/images/stories/newimages/RGBJpeg/b_carving%2520knife%2520%26%2520fork%2520%26%2520ham.jpg The Ham carving knife is used to carve Serrano ham into wafer thin slices. http://t2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:2ohKNv6ltDjbIM:http://cache.virtualtourist.com/1/3690844-Cataplanas-Algarve.jpg Capaplanas traditional domed clam cooker from the Algarve region in southern region of Portugal. http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:U78f3sXK-TRxnM:http://inventoseinventores.com/boutique/images/JAMONERO%2520VERTICAL.jpg Casserole dish, Jamonero or ham stand are some of the other equipment used. http://www.hub-uk.com/interesting02/spanish-kitchen.htm, Accessed on 8th January 2010 Traditional Food Preparation Method used. In Spain meat, fish and poultry or game is prepared using a variety of methods. The Most common terms used in the Spanish kitchen are: Cocido- stews or stewed. Other term used for the same method is Guisado and Estofado. A la parilla or a la bras charcoal grille. La parilla is a BBQ grate and la brase is a live or hot coal. A la plancha- grilled on a metal plate. Al pil-pil sauce which is originated in the Basque country is made of oil in which the fish has been cooked. http://spanishfood.about.com/od/cookingtipsandbasics/a/cookmethodsmeat.htm, Accessed on 8th January 2010

Why We Need Laws Essay -- essays research papers

The American Heritage Dictionary defines law as 'a rule of conduct or procedure established by custom, agreement, or authority.'; Since even the most primitive forms of life have been known to live by some 'rule of conduct,'; by definition, law has existed before the dawn of the human race. However, no other species have adopted laws to fit their immediate needs more than humans. As groups of humans began living in larger and larger groups, competition for resources such as food, water, shelter, and even mating partners grew increasingly intense. Therefore, the leaders of these basic forms of society found it necessary to set guidelines for sharing and protecting these resources. As these societies grew in complexity, so did the need for laws. While in its nascent stage law primarily protected tangibles such as life, limb, and property, the scope of laws has grown to encompass moral values as well. However, these values often differed from society to society. With each passing year, more and more laws are coming into effect. Consequently, more and more people are growing incognizant of the laws that govern them. In effect, this ignorance of the law nullifies its effectiveness as a deterrent of crime. Therefore, modern law has taken a more passive role as a medium for holding people accountable for their actions. Voltaire once said that 'a multitude of laws in a country is like a great number of physicians, a sign of weakness and malady.'; Historically, laws have been created in an attempt to correct perceived problems within a society. An epidemic of adultery must have occurred before laws forbidding such activity came into existence. Several affluent members of society must have been robbed before anti-theft laws were passed. Undoubtedly a number of politicians were shot and killed before gun-control laws were believed to be necessary. For the most part laws are created out of fear of becoming victimized. As illustrated in the preceding examples, most laws are designed specifically to address crimes in which the distinction between an offender and a victim is clear. However, laws against so-called 'victimless'; crimes suggest that its intent exceeds that of mere protection. For instance, according to California Penal Code 286, 'sodomy is sexual conduct consisting of contact between the peni s of one person and the anus of another person. Any sexual penetra... ... person, simply relying on an individual's sense of morality in respect to self-government would result in inevitable sociological chaos. This holds especially true for those who lack the mental competency to differentiate between moral and immoral behavior. Although some laws have been proven to be effective deterrents of crime, this holds true only for those laws that are known to exist. Furthermore, it is necessary to remember that even the most severe of punishments will not deter the motivated criminal. Therefore, the very essence of law is reduced to a mere mechanism to hold people accountable for their actions or lack thereof. Accountability for the law, regardless of moral beliefs, must be applied unconditionally and without prejudice to all persons within the jurisdiction of the governing body in order to safeguard the law's effectiveness. Although this can be construed as 'force-feeding'; perceived moral beliefs upon the society as a whole, accountability is necessary t o insure that the violators of crimes are justly punished for their actions. Without such universal accountability, it would be impossible to apply laws upon a morally diverse and legally ignorant society.