Autobiography of a Classroom Essay

I am a very big classroom in a well-known public school. I cater to needs of the kindergarten class of the school, accommodating I think about eighty five children, a big number isn’t it? I understand that I am the best looking room in the school as, the very small children study here. I am very attractively decorated so that the little ones like to come here every day. The room that is me – is decorated with beautiful coloured pictures. The walls are a blend of some colours I do not know the names of. The furniture that is placed in the length and breadth of the room consists of small round tables to seat four children on each table, and the chairs are also tiny. That is not all, all the furniture is a mixture of many colours. When the children come inside the class they almost fight to sit on certain chairs. That makes me understand that they like the colours and fight for their favourite colours to sit on. At the top two ends of the length of the classroom there are two bigger tables and full size chairs for the teachers to sit. Since there are so many children there are two teachers while in other classes there is only one each. I am a treat for everyone to see. My pleasure knows no bounds when everyone who comes inside the class, admires me, appreciates my get up and the colours that don me. I have the twin advantage of being the most beautiful room in the school and also having the cutest of children coming to spend their time with me. Thus, my life is full of beauty, colour, noise and laughter and at times of course also crying and howling of the children. At times some new entrants to the school come to me with their mothers and, cry as if they had come to the slaughter house to be butchered. At such moments even by heart cries for the little ones and I wonder why man makes these little children come to study if they do not want to. I of course do not know how important studies are for human children, I only feel sad seeing the children cry. My life is full of a very busy schedule though very interesting. The routine of my daily life is so busy that, I do not get any relief for quite long hours. In the morning as early as 6 a. m.two sweepers come open the lock of my room or rather me, and off they start working on me. They sweep my floor, squab it, dust each and every piece of the furniture in me. Thus, I get alerted as soon the room is unlocked. It is not even 8 a. m. when the little brats start pouring inside my body’s doors. At times they enter with so much noise that my whole body feels the rattle of it all. Their movements are so loud that now, I cannot even think of any rest. School bags get flung, tiffin boxes are strewn all about, water bottles are kept just anywhere and there is a lot of commotion all over. Soon the maid enters the room and keeps everything in order and my appearance at once improves and I look tidy and well kept. For these small ones the school hours are just three from, 8 a. m. to 11 a. m. These three hours is my duty time, and just is the time when I also get the day’s entertainment. Being a classroom for the Kindergarten children I get a great chance of hearing conversations between the teachers and the parents. Since this is the first time their children have entered school, parents devote a lot of time to talking about the school and its standards. At times I find that some parents are just too critical and, inspite of getting all the best in this school they always seem to be unhappy and dissatisfied with something or the other in the school. Such parents keep lecturing about things missing in the classroom, the school or even in the playground. When I hear such complaints, my heart sinks and I wonder if they will allow or not allow their children to come to me any more,. For such conversations I have understood that, these days parents pamper the children too much, and it seems that they can never yes, never be satisfied. I am quite surprised to see the vast difference in opinions. While on the one hand I, and also many parents think that I am very beautiful, well kept, and decorated, others of the same clan are always complaining of many defects in my appearance. This gives me a feeling of depression and I do wonder if I can do anything in the matter. After some thinking bouts, I realize that, I can do nothing to satisfy these unhappy parents. I am just here in the hands of the school authorities and stand here as and how they keep me. My working hours are just six, from 6 a. m. when sweepers enter to say 12 noon when I am locked after all children go. After my duty hours I just relax but also feel lonely. No matter what is said about me, I am thoroughly enjoying my life in the cute company of little children. Their company makes me also feel young though now I am quite old. Every summer vacation I am painted afresh, my furniture is painted, and, I am ready to welcome my little friends, new and old with a new look, new enthusiasm and renewed vigour. I pray that my life is forever allowed to remain so interesting and so relaxed. I just love all the children and teachers who come here to me, to work and play in the restricted area within my four walls.

The small crowd beside the bus had an atmosphere of excitement

The small crowd beside the bus had an atmosphere of excitement. I was one of them. We just got down the busy train, leaving us with another 5 hours of our journey to our destination. The trip was to the southern part of the Indian rainforest. The air was moist and there was a sudden drizzle. So we quickly got inside the bus. After every one was inside there was check to see whether anyone was left behind. The bus was noisy, every one were talking to each other about the thrill. We began our long journey into the rainforest. Every one felt irritated due to the humidity in the air. The teachers who came with were also excited about the trip. After a while there was no sign of any people as we entered into the rainforest; there was no trace of any other vehicle either except a motorcycle, leading us. It was a totally deserted area. The trees and bushes on either side of the road were monstrous and they spread wide. In some places they were steep slopes, which were so deep and dark that we couldn't see the ground below. We unexpectedly stopped. I didn't know why at first then they told it was because we had to have lunch. The lunch was horrible as it was cold. After that we got into the bus. Then slowly we all settled and the bus was again on the road. On the way we saw many waterfalls but we couldn't define its beauty because they were very far away. Then a boy suddenly shouted out ‘Dam' no one understood him at first then he repeated it by saying there is a dam. Every one gazed it for a long time. Some took snaps of it. It was huge and its reflections looked beautiful. We were then told that there was another hour of our journey left. Most of them slept including me due to the tiredness of journeying. After a while my friend woke me up saying that we arrived at the destination. I was excited as well as exhausted like everyone. I had to get up. We took our bags and started to walk towards the tents, which were situated in a plateau. I had a heavy luggage behind my back like most of them. The ground was uneven in the beginning then it was a sudden steep slope upwards. We had to walk very carefully otherwise we would slip and fall. They made a path by few slates of shapeless granite. Beside the path were wild bushes. It took us more than 5minutes to reach to the top. When we reached it was very dark and we could hardly see the ground clearly. They told us to form a queue and then we were separated into four groups. We were taken inside the house, which was beside the tents. It just had a big hall and a kitchen in the corner. We were told about the rules and regulations. Then we all were shown our way to the tents though we didn't sleep in the tents, as it was the first night. We changed into night ware and left our baggages in the tents. The ground was muddy making our bags very dirty underneath. After every one had their dinner we were immediately send to sleep. Though no one did as every one had the excitement in their minds thinking what was going to happen in the next few days. We all slept together. At first it was very noisy then slowly it became pin drop silence. Everyone was made to get up by 5 in the morning and was told to freshen up. We couldn't see much as the sun did not rise completely by that time. And when it did it become foggy. There were five tents in total as there were many girls and boys. There was a water tank opposite to the tents. Behind the house were the toilets. In between the toilets and the tents there was a small house which contained things required for canoeing, rock climbing, treasure hunting, nature trivia and camping. Surrounding us were trees and bushes, which were so thick that we couldn't see through. Later we were told briefly of our plan for the days beyond.

Continuum of care for maternal, newborn, and child health in Australia Essay

Continuum of care for maternal, newborn, and child health in Australia - Essay Example 181). Australia is one of the countries experiencing such problems, particularly in the rural areas. Consequently, the government invests a lot of money in the health care sector. The government had planned to develop and implement locally appropriate evidence based sustainable models of service delivery that included a strong health promotion and prevention focus. Many criticisms were noted during this period. Some people especially from the urban areas believed that the government had already done enough and the introduction of such programs would only waste public money. Consequently, health action by both the Australian government and the society can ensure a continuum of care for maternal, newborn, and child health. The Australian government needs to reconsider the provision of a complete harmonized family-centered service system to succeed in providing continuum care for maternal, newborn, and child health (Kuhlthau, Sheila, Jeanne, Alixandra & Diane et al 2011, p. 137). A synchronized structure of early childhood services that can respond to the upcoming and varying needs of mothers and infants in the rural areas is essential. It aids in achieving better results for children. Moreover, the systems are aimed at ensuring that people and the society become friendlier to children and mothers by providing comprehensive services (Kuhlthau, Sheila, Jeanne, Alixandra & Diane et al 2011, p. 137). The agenda can further improve the level of maternal and child health (MCH) services, especially in the rural areas by creating service systems that concentrate on the needs of family, infants and the society at the local level. Maternal and child health is a section of rural service network that comprises of local organizations, intercession services for early childhood, issues of family conflicts and parenting (Costello, Bernice, Adrian and Barbara 1998, p.169).

Mandatory Arrest for Domestic Violence Research Paper

Mandatory Arrest for Domestic Violence - Research Paper Example 644). Hoctor (p. 644) discusses that by the time officers respond to domestic violence calls, they often end up being mediators in the dispute. Such mediation can take on various approaches, including reconciliation attempts by officers for the parties involved or the use of formal resolution programs. Mediating the domestic violence did not assist in resolving these issues; moreover, these incidents have often escalated to more incidents of violence and even deaths. Moreover, these incidents often disturbed the neighborhood peace and violent outbreaks often ended up involving other parties (like neighbors or bystanders attempting to break up the fight). Because of the escalation of these incidents, as well as the public disturbance that these incidents often caused, some territories have implemented mandatory arrests for incidents of domestic violence. ... It shall discuss research evidence in its application; and it shall also present a critical discussion of the merits and the demerits of the program. The suggested policy is based on the guidelines set forth by the Wisconsin Coalition against Domestic Violence. In any case, the suspect must be atleast 17 years of age having a relationship with the victim described as: spouse, former spouse, adult with whom a child was created, and adult with whom the suspect resides or has formerly resided with. The following acts are all grounds for mandatory arrest: intentional infliction of physical pain, physical injury or illness; intentional impairment of physical condition; sexual assault, physical act that may cause a person to fear imminent engagement of the above acts (Wisconsin Coalition Against Domestic Violence, p. 1). The arresting officer may also find reasonable grounds to believe that the person committing the act is or has committed domestic abuse; that the person’s actions c onstitute a crime; the officer believes that continued domestic abuse is likely; there is evidence of physical injury on the victim; and the suspect is the main aggressor (Wisconsin Coalition against Domestic Violence, p. 2). This mandatory arrest policy can also apply if the violence is reported to the law enforcement authorities within 28 days from the time the abuse occurred. In this policy, the law enforcement officer must arrest the suspect if he has reasonable grounds to believe that the suspect is committing or has already committed domestic abuse and his actions are considered crimes (Wisconsin Coalition against Domestic Violence, p. 2). The predominant aggressor in this case is the first and the most

Corporate Goveranance Case Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Corporate Goveranance Case - Essay Example Please note that the case study did not indicate the number of hours the employees of Tasty meals Ltd is being forced to work. It is incredelous to compare the conditions of employees of Tasty meals with that of the other countries. The economic condition is not the same between two countries the cost of living is likewise not the same. The wage commission of the Philippine Government have taken these factors into consideration in determining the minimum wage in the Philippines. As far as the wage is concerned Tasty meals Ltd is in compliance and in fact exceed the requirements of the government. Question 2: Tasty meals Ltd, CANNOT be held responsible for the problems caused by unhealthy junk foods and high-calorie if the company is complying with the minimum requirement prescribed by the law of the Government of the Philippines. However, Tasty meals Ltd has the fiduciary responsibility if not a social responsibility to provide healthy foods to its loyal patrons. Fiduciary responsibi lity is not prosecutable by law if it is not met. Question 3: It is NOT reasonable to demand from Tasty meals Ltd to give up ‘cost effective’ and ‘convinient’. The use of cost effective and convenient disposable tableware and containers is not against the law within the Philippines. ... Question 5: Overall I consider Tasty meals Ltd to be compliant to the corporate governance principles with the exception of its dealings with corporation of questionable background. Tasty meals Ltd is NOT AN ethically and socially responsible corporation. A company is considered compliant to Corporate Governance principles if it complies with the maximum requirement of the law in the countries where it is operating from. A company is considered to be ethically and socially responsible if it complies with the requirements of international standards where it belongs to. Question 6: The following are my answers for each of the recommendation if it is appropriate the answer is Yes, if it’s not appropriate the answer is No. Recommendation 1 – No, the current salary is more than twice the government mandated minimum wage. Recommendation 2 – No, Tasty meals Ltd have its own market that might not be receptive to other products. Recommendation 3 – Yes, Reducing tra ns fat in its cooking process will help its global corporate image. Recommendation 4 and 5 – Yes, complying with the concern of international environment groups will enhance the image of the company. Recommendation 6 – Yes, sponsorship of charitable organizations will enhance the corporate image of the company. Recommendation 7 – Yes, this is a requirement to enhance the global image of the company Recommendation 8 – Yes, this will enhance the image of the company Recommendation 9 – Yes, this will enhance and also show the commitment of the company to self reflect and improve its operation to comply with the requirement of the law and other international standard. Question 7: YES, Adverse publicity often times affects the

Managing high performance Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Managing high performance - Essay Example A second topic that should be discussed at the meeting is teamwork. A lack of teamwork is a symptom that is currently being displayed by the workers. The firm has to modify the work structure of the workers in order to design team assignments. The employees will learn to cooperate and work with each other better in team settings because they will be force to depend on the efforts of their teammates. â€Å"Teamwork is the ability to work together toward a common vision† (Carnegie). A third topic that is going to be discussed at the meeting is communication. In order for the current issues to be resolved the lines of communication between the workers and the managerial staff must be opened at all times. The communication process in the workplace has been enhanced by the use of technology. A technique that can help bring solidarity among the workers is to have weekly face to face meetings between the entire staff. Good communication is needed in business to achieve success (Mindt ools,

Rhetoric of Apple Marketing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Rhetoric of Apple Marketing - Essay Example The positioning of the products is based on Apple’s differentiation and innovation which in turn lead to the creation of a loyal customer base. Furthermore the use of the ‘halo’ effect which initiated from the sale of the iPod has resulted in Apple being able to increase its overall market share and better position its products which enable it to take away its competitors market share. Another advantage that Apple has over its competitors is the fact that it invests a higher percentage of its sales to Research and Development, which In turns aids Apple to better position itself and benefit from the first movers advantage when it brings forth new products in the market, effectively capturing consumer preference and attention. There are many other key success factors which formulate to the core strengths of the brand which in turn become an important reason for consumers showing a preference for Apple products. These can be attributed to the fact that Apple has very dominant footing in the personal computer market because of its differentiated and innovative products as well as the ease of use. Apple develops its own operating system, which enables it to be free from the complexities of the dependence on Microsoft operating systems. This gives Apple a lot of flexibility and control when it comes to its products physical appearance, specification and their overall usability. Apple does all this and at the same time is able to keep its Macintosh computers well-matched with their existing PC computers. Furthermore the perception of Apple products being closely associated with fashion and the latest current trends make it a product that is high in consumer demand as well as preference. Apple manages to constantly release products that are in line with the latest trends and styles, like the latest iPod and Mac mini, due to its research intensive office environment. This effectively makes Apple one of the biggest innovators in the market and keeps i ts consumers interested by maintaining its reputation of introducing new and creative products and ideas into the market first (Ireland, Duane, Hoskisson, Robert, Hitt and Michael, 2011). Apple’s broad target market also serves to be of an advantage in the way it aids Apple to position itself and viewed as a full-fledged digital convergence company that aims to facilitate and reinvent a consumer’s digital life. Building on this uniqueness, developing a strong brand name and culture, is a main asset when it comes to Apple standing out among its competition. This can be seen in the introduction of all of its products from the iPod all the way to the multi-touch screen of its iPhone. Consumers today are a lot more engaged in a variety of technology based activities. A core understanding of this changing trend and the needs of the consumers which are entrenched in the digital lifestyle, whether it is a PC or a smartphone, is major strength of Apple. Apple analyzes such tre nds that are a part of the consumers’ lifestyle and then correlates it to the increasing consumer electronics demand in the market. Furthermore Apple strategizes to focus on increasing connectivity between its various products which helps it fulfill the multiple needs of its tech-savvy customers. This in turn benefits Apple to pursue the additional opportunities of the expanding consumer electronics market (Hogan and Kurt, 2011). When you talk about the popularity and success of

A report in the context of the audit of public companies listed on the Essay

A report in the context of the audit of public companies listed on the London Stock Exchange regarding the two issues that the committee decided against implementing - Essay Example auditor’s bringing a fresh perspective and greater skeptism that would be lacking in the long-standing auditor-client relationship, the opponents maintain that because the auditor’s lack of familiarity with the industry and client, audit quality would suffer under such a regime (AICPA 1992). In late 2001, the Enron debacle followed by its high-profile collapse now focuses attention on the profession’s effectiveness in protecting the interests of the public. Thus, Sarbanes-Oxley Act 2002 mandated the General Accounting Office (GAO) to conduct a research on the potential effects of mandatory audit rotation as required by law. The study concluded that mandatory audit rotation would not necessarily strengthen auditor independence (G.A.O. 2003). The arguments for and against mandatory audit firm rotation contend whether the auditing firm’s long-term client-customer relationship and the profitable desire to maintain the client adversely affects the public accounting firm’s independence during the auditing of a company’s financial statements. Furthermore, reservations about the likely effects of the audit firm rotation include the fear of losing company-specific information gathered by an audit firm over years of experience as an auditor, and whether the intended benefits are likely to outweigh the costs. Additionally, the implementation of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (as applied in the United States) has raised question as to its effectiveness of reforming the intended benefits of mandatory audit firm rotation. Furthermore, research studies and other publications specifically show that the advantages and disadvantages of mandatory audit firm rotation touch on auditor independence, audit quality, and increased costs. Interference with auditor independence or audit quality can result in failure and adversely affect the parties relying on the fair representation of the financial statements in conformity with established accounting standards. Proponents of audit

Genetically Modified Foods and the Labeling Debate Essay Example for Free

Genetically Modified Foods and the Labeling Debate Essay There has been an ongoing debate between consumers and the government regarding the use of Genetically Modified Foods in the market today. â€Å"Since the introduction of the Flavr Savr tomato, biotechnology companies continue to introduce genetically engineered agricultural products to consumers† (Whittaker). The â€Å"Flavr Savor† tomato was the first food available to consumers that was produced using technology involving the recombinant DNA techniques in 1993. This was the dawn of a new generation in food production, and thus a whole new world of genetically engineered foods. At the present time the government, more specifically, the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not regulated labeling products that contain genetically engineered foods. Currently the policy for labeling all consumer products must meet the standards of the safety and nutritional assessment. The evaluations of genetically engineered foods by legal authority require that bioengineered foods must meet the same standards set forth for all imported and exported foods marked for human and animal consumption and according to the US FDA genetically modified (GM) foods meet these guidelines. Since the early 1990’s scientists has been researching new and improved techniques to bring plumper, juicer and insecticide resistant agricultural products to all consumers. But research such as this is nothing new to the scientific community and for over 50 years techniques have been used to create strains of wheat, rice, pears and many more crop species to create high yielding products that are capable of growing anywhere and anytime of the year. Currently, only one tenth of the world actually uses GM plants with the countries of Canada, US, Brazil and Argentina growing 90 percent of the GM crops (Freedman). With the majority of these crops being produced in North America, the US is seeing GM foods everywhere and this is drawing attention to different agencies and groups pushing to educate the public by labeling any products that contain genetically engineered foods. The US Food and Drug Administration has been dealing with the battle against labeling products with genetically modified organisms (GMO) for years, but regardless of the consistent scrutiny the FDA sticks firmly to the current regulations that govern the labeling of all foods for human and animal consumption. Under the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic (FDC) Act, which drives the FDA’s safety regulations for food and food ingredients, â€Å"unless a significant safety risk exists or there is a sincere need for consumers to distinguish between food products before purchase, the FDA hesitates to mandate labeling of food products† (Leggio). Joseph A. Levitt, Director of the Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition with the US Food and Drug Administration states in his â€Å"Should the FDA Adopt a Stricter Policy on Genetically Engineered Foods? † testimony that â€Å"bioengineered foods and food ingredients must adhere to the same standards of safety under the FDC act that apply to their conventionally bred counterparts† (Levitt, 81). With the strict laws set forth, the FDA remains consistent with its decision to maintain their current labeling program as it adheres to all safety standards of any food for consumption. The US FDA also assures the public that they have done significant research for decades on biotechnology foods to ensure it is safe for consumers, and additional testing is conducted years prior to the release of a GM product to the shelves. Scientists address all of the potential concerns to include the potential to adding new allergy causing proteins, removing vital nutrients and the possibility of introducing toxins, in these studies to ensure that unexpected results do not occur, â€Å"this testing provides a way to detect such changes at the development stage† (Levitt, 79) and it will also delay any release of products until they are able to find a solution. The FDA takes such precautions and studying all aspects of this technology to be confident that the risks are non-existent. Although the government has provided the public with research, publications, testimonies and scientific proof that the current law governing the labeling of food and animal products is appropriate and doesn’t require change, there is still much concern of the risks that the technology poses to humans. Barbara Boxer, a US Senator from California, introduced the Genetically Engineered Food Right-To-Know Act in 2001 in her testimony in â€Å"Should the FDA Adopt a Stricter Policy on Genetically Engineered Foods? † which states â€Å"all foods containing or produced with genetically engineered material bear a neutral label† (Boxer, 76). This act was created based on the lack of data and concerns that GM products are introducing risks of exposure to many health issues to include food allergens, lack of nutrition and toxic ailments. These claims are legitimate, however, the US FDA does take precautions as stated by Joseph A. Levitt, specifically with these risks while conducting trials during the developing stages of the product. In 2011 there was a petition filed against the FDA which warranted the need for labeling of GM products. According to this petition â€Å"consumers are misled when food labels do not differentiate foods with known health properties from novel foods with unknown health consequences† (Burgaard). An example of such health concerns come from a study performed in Scotland at the Rowett Institute in 1998. A plant biochemist named Arpad Pusztai conducted an experiment on rats who consumed a genetically engineered potato and his experiment concluded that the rats that were fed the modified potato â€Å"suffered growth and immune system-related changes† (Freedman). Ironically, the genetically modified potato used in this study â€Å"was not intended for human consumption it was, in fact, designed to be toxic for research purposes,† (Freedman) discrediting the research altogether. Additionally, â€Å"American Medical Association, the National Academy of Sciences, the World Health Organization, and more than twenty-five Nobel Prize-winning scientists have concluded that there is no scientific evidence that GM food carries any risk to human health and that genetically engineered crops are safe,† (Burgaard) which ties into the overall nutrition and safety assessment that genetically engineered foods meet the same standards that imported and exported foods at held too. In the end, the US Food and Drug Administration stands by the current law governing the policy on labeling genetically modified foods. They maintain their standing on mandated labeling even under the microscope of doubters, but most importantly the â€Å"FDAs process for evaluating bioengineered foods is one in which the public can have confidence that food biotechnology products must meet the laws safety standards† (Maryanski). The FDA cares deeply of the health and wellbeing of the consumers in America and strive to meet the needs of the public in both food and nutrition education. Until the studies show significant risks or changes in the GM products warranting the need to readdress the process, the government and the US Food and Drug Administration believe their approach is relevant and remain firm to the present policies. Annotated Bibliography Whittaker, Michael A. Reevaluating The Food And Drug Administrations Stand On Labeling Genetically Engineered Foods. San Diego Law Review 35. 4 (1998): 1215. Academic Search Premier. Web. 2 Jan. 2014. This journal review argues that the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) must reconsider its position on the labeling of genetically engineered food as well as consumer perceptions of the threat posed by genetically engineered foods. Freedman, David H. Are Engineered Foods Evil?. Scientific American 309. 3 (2013): 80-85. Environment Complete. Web. 2 Jan. 2014. This article discusses the debate over the safety of genetically modified (GM) crops. It covers comments from agricultural and environmental economist at the University of California, Berkeley, David Zilberman, on the benefits of GM foods compared to their health risks, a ban on GM crops by the European Union (EU), and the difference between selective plant breeding and mutagenic techniques. Leggio, Kelly A. Limitations On The Consumers Right To Know: Settling The Debate Over Labeling Of Genetically Modified Foods In The United States. San Diego Law Review 38. 3 (2001): 893. Academic Search Premier. Web. 3 Jan. 2014. This journal review supports the decision of the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to reject mandatory labeling of genetically modified foods as a solution to accommodate consumer fears. There is a description of an approach designed to evaluate whether mandatory initiatives are appropriate to protect consumers right to know and the importance for states to follow guidelines established by the FDA. Should The FDA Adopt A Stricter Policy On Genetically Engineered Foods? PRO/CON. Congressional Digest 80. 3 (2001): Pages 76-95. Academic Search Premier. Web. 2 Jan. 2014. This is a two part article that discusses genetically engineered foods and the potential need to adopt a more strict policy. The articles provided information from the perspective of the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Joseph A. Levitt, the director of the Center of Food Safety and Applied Nutrition and US Senator, Barbara Boxer who speaks on behalf of the Genetically Engineered Food Right-to-Know Act and additional interviews that were conducted to give the audience an overall understanding of both sides of the debate. Burgaard, Sudhir. The Labeling Of Genetically Modified Foods Debate. Natural Resources Environment 28. 1 (2013): 55-57. Environment Complete. Web. 2 Jan. 2014. This article focuses on the debate on labeling of genetically modified (GM) food which reflects food safety concerns in the U. S. It highlights various legal issues related to use of GM foods which includes increased risk of antibiotic resistant bacteria, increased use of pesticides, and environmental effects. It briefs the audience about the Center for Food Safety filing a legal petition with the U. S. Food and Drug Administration regarding labeling of genetically engineered food. Maryanski, . James H. , Ph D. News Events. Genetically Engineered Foods. US Food and Drug Administration, 19 Oct. 1999. Web. 2 Jan. 2014. This testimony is from the perspective of the Biotechnology Coordinator with the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that discusses the current regulations governing genetically engineered foods and the process that dictates what and how determines what a DNA derived food is labeled. It includes a variety of examples that justifies the current labeling regulations and why GM Foods may not require additional information for the consumers.

Dyes and Additives Harmful Effects

Dyes and Additives Harmful Effects Bella Zavlanova DO FOOD ADDITIVES/ DYES CAUSE  HARM TO CONSUMERS? The objective of this paper is to find out if dyes and additives such as red 40, yellow 5, yellow 6 and blue 2, which are added to foods, drugs, and cosmetics, are harmful to the consumers? Do we really believe these dyes or additives can cause cancer or other more severe conditions? Dyes were used in ancient times and then how artificial colors were first discovered. Next, would be about the consequences of consuming foods with these dyes. Then comes the question about what countries have banned artificial coloring and why doesn’t the US government do the same? Afterwards, how can the intake of these harmful dyes be lowered? This research will aim to show what will happen when consuming these foods; and a guide on how to consume foods without harmful dyes properly succeeds and develops a better and healthier life. HISTORY OF DYES In ancient times naturally colored additives were produced using vegetable, mineral, and other natural substances were used to dye foods, drugs, and make-up.Some examples of natural sources such as are paprika and turmeric are used as food dyes. Other sources include lead oxides and iron which both are used t make shades of red. Iron is also used to make colors like dark grey, bright yellow, and deep purple. Another natural source is saffron that ranges color from yellow to orange and lastly and even copper sulfate can be used to make blue colors. Sir Henry William Perkin was attempting to form an anti-malarial drug in 1856; instead he discovered the first synthetic color called mauve. From his accidental discovery a new color industry was born with an uncountable amount of new colors such as magenta, fuchsia, violet and so many others have followed. These new artificial dyes were quickly take on by food industries as they were inexpensive and more of a stable way for coloring foods.Dyes where first created from coal and tar which gave it its first name as Coal-tar colors. (U.S. Food, 2003). There are three categories for Color additives the first is straight colors. Color additives that has not been mixed or chemically reacted with any other ingredients are called straight colors. An example of a straight color is FDC Blue No1 or Blue 1. The second category is chemicals reacting to straight colors with substrata which are called lakes; Blue 1 Lake is one example. Lastly, the third category is mixtures. Which is a color additive created without a chemical reaction by combining multiple color additive or non-colored diluents. Food inks used to mark confectionery are examples of a mixture. (U.S.Food, 2003). PURPOSE OF COLORING Anything that is a dye, coloring, or other material that can transform the color of a food, drug, cosmetics, clothing, or to the human body is considered a color additive. Like now, colors were used to serve as a visual sign for quality, to make it more eye catching to the buyers and so that it meets consumer expectations of the product. These color allow us to identify products like sweets; serving as a kind of code (U.S. Food, 2003). People associate certain colors with certain flavors, and the color of food can affect the observed flavor in everything from candy to wine. Occasionally the aim is to mimic a color that is alleged by the buyer as natural, for example adding the red color to glacà © cherries which would have been beige. Or sometimes it is used for effect, like making ketchup green. Dyes are used in foods for countless reasons, to replacing color loss due to exposure to light, air, temperature extremes, storage conditions and moisture. Correcting natural discrepancies in color and enhancing naturally occurring colors. It also provides color to colorless and fun foods and makes food more attractive and appetizing, and informative. In addition, products like fruit flavored candy or medicine dosages can be recognized by the consumers on sight. When foods are treated, essential nutrients and fibers are not only removed, but also the textures and natural variation and flavors are also lost. What’s left after processing is a bland, boring pseudo-food that would not be appealing to anyone (U.S. Food, 2013). Therefore, the nutrients, flavor, color and even the texture that were lost during the process in order to make them edible are add back in the product by manufacturers. That is why they turn out to be overburdened with food additives. Most frequently, additives are incorporated to slow spoilage, stop fats and oils from going rotten, inhibit fruit from turning brown, fortify or enrich the food with man-made vitamins and minerals to supplant the natural ones that were lost during processing, and improve taste, appearance and texture. CONSEQUENCES OF CONSUMING FOODS WITH DYES The Washington Post has stated that beyond the cancer risks and behavioral problems, the greatest hazard that dyes pose for children may also be the most obvious. They distract kids taking them away from nutritious foods and leading them towards brightly colored processed products that are high in calories but low in nutrients, such as fruit-flavored drinks and snack foods. Those types of foods are one of the major harms that are leading to a widespread of obesity in America. (Dark side, 2011). The most popular dyes used in the United States are yellow 5, Red 40, yellow 6 and blue 2. Study has shown that these colorful additives can cause behavioral problems as well as cancer, birth defects and other health problems in laboratory animals. Allergy-like hypersensitivity reactions in children are suspected to be caused by yellow 6 and Red 40. The Center for Science in the Public Interest reports that some dyes are also contaminated with known carcinogens. Below is a list of the food dyes most commonly used today and what they can cause to whoever consumes products that contain them. It is to be kept in mind that most studies were found inconclusive by the FDA. CSPI also lists that most of the food dyes contain Benzedrine and 4-Aminobiphenyl. Benzedrine is a man-made chemical that causes skin allergies, cancer of the urinary bladder. Some data acclaims that other organs, such as the stomach, kidney, brain, mouth, esophagus, liver, gallbladder, bile duct, and pancreas, may also be affected. Most of these discoveries were only tested on lab animals like mice dogs and rats. SUMMARY OF STUDIES ON FOOD DYES Food dye WHERE IT IS FOUND? Allergic reactions Carcinogenic contaminants Tests for cancer* Other** Mouse Rat Blue 1 (Brilliant Blue) Baked goods, beverages, dessert powders, candies, cereal, drugs, and other products. Yes No in utero studies. One abstract (study not published) Reported kidney tumors. No tumors in the only good study. Test tube study found inhibition of nerve-cell development. Radioactivity in the urine Blue 2 (Indigo Carmine) Color beverages, candies, pet food, other food and drugs. Both studies were too brief and did Not include in utero exposure. Dosage was likely too low; possible Brain and bladder tumors. Cell neoplasms in the urinary bladder Citrus Red 2 (used only on peels of some oranges at 2 ppm) Is permitted only for coloring the skins of oranges not used for processing Bladder and other tumors Bladder and teste tumors Increased fatty metamorphosis, and significant weight gain in females, hyperplasia, and thickening of urinary bladder wall causing papilloma Green 3 (Fast Green) Drugs, skin care products, cosmetic products except in eye area, candies, beverages, ice cream, sorbet; ingested drugs, lipsticks, and externally applied cosmetics. The only study did not include in utero exposure. Possible bladder and other tumors Tests on dogs proved raise in pup mortality, testes tumors, liver neoplastic nodules, urinary neoplasms, and studies found that most males were affected. Orange B (in 1978 FDA proposed, but never finalized, a ban) Sausage casings but has not been used for many years. The only two studies did not include in utero exposure. Toxic Red 3 (Erythrosine) (FDA has banned it from cosmetics, externally applied drugs, and lakes) Sausage casings, oral medication, maraschino cherries, baked goods, candies, some cosmetics. The only study did not include in utero exposure. Thyroid tumors Dye takes about 3 months to leave the body increased thyroid follicular cell adenomas in males, weight loss in adults and children, animal carcinogen. Red 40 (Allura Red) Beverages, bakery goods, dessert powders, candies, cereals, foods, drugs, and cosmetics. Yes p-Cresidine Possible reticuloendothelial tumors of the immune system No tumors in the only good study Hypersensitivity in all patients tested, passes in utero and Proves a significant decrease in body weight in females, was present in dogs system years later. And triggers hyperactivity in children. Yellow 5 (Tartrazine) Pet foods, in numerous bakery goods, beverages, dessert powders, candies, cereals, gelatin desserts, and many other foods, as well as pharmaceuticals, and cosmetics. Yes Benzidine, 4-amino-biphenyl levels found above FDA regulation Only mouse study was too brief, used too few mice, and Began with 6-weekold mice. No tumors in the only good study 6 of 11 studies showed genotoxicity. Hyperactivity in children. Induces chromosomal aberrations. It may be contaminated with several cancer-causing chemicals. Yellow 6 (Sunset Yellow) Color bakery goods, cereals, beverages, dessert powders, candies, gelatin desserts, sausage, cosmetics and drugs. Yes Benzidine, 4-amino-biphenyl Neither study included in utero exposure. Possible adrenal and testicular tumors. Hyperactivity in children. asthma angioedema of lips, eyes, or face; reddening of the eyes; sweating; increased tear secretion; nasal congestion; sneezing; rhinitis (runny nose); hoarseness; wheezing; and a variety of subjective symptoms. * Tests should be done on both sexes of two rodent species, use sufficient numbers of animals, include in utero exposure, last at least two years after birth, and use maximally tolerated dosages.Ideally, tests would be conducted by independent labs, but most tests on dyes were conducted by industry. (Dye, Food, Allergic Reactions, 2010, page 2) ** In addition, numerous studies have found that mixtures of dyes cause hyperactivity and other behavioral impairments in children.(Dye, Food, Allergic Reactions, 2010, page 2) What Countries Have Banned Artificial Coloring and Why Doesn’t the US Government do the same? A direct advisory to parents, warning them to limit their childrens consumption of additives if they notice an effect on behavior was issued the British Food Standards Agency (FSA) (Dark Side, 2014).Even most foods in the EU that contain artificial food dyes were labeled to warn that the product can have a bad effect on activity and attention in children to parents (7 Worst Ingredients, 2013).This caused many food producers to willingly takeout artificial dyes from their products and replaces them with natural substances to color their foods. In Other countries food additives that are banned are perfectly legal and ok to use in US foods. Various food dyes, BHA, BHT, rBGH, rBST, brominated vegetable oil, potassium bromate (aka brominated flour), Azodicarbonamide, the fat substitute Olestra, and arsenic are just some of the banned ingredients (7 Worst Ingredients, 2013).Because these food color additives are banned in those countries, companies like Kraft use natural dyes instead, such as annatto, beet-root, and paprika extract (The Dark Side, 2011). In the United States, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) continues to allow these toxic ingredients in numerous popular foods, including those advertised specifically for children. By looking at the ingredients on a package of a Nutri-Grain strawberry cereal bar in the United States, you will discover that it contains Yellow 6, Blue 1, and Red 40. Although, in the United Kingdom the exact bar contains natural colorings beetroot red, annatto and paprika extract. This shows us that the United Kingdom government cares more about what their people consume more than the United States government does. How Do These Dyes Cause Cancer? Our bodies cannot process certain chemicals. Artificial colors are derived from petroleum and are full of Carcinogenicity. Dyes are made from the same petroleum that is used to make gasoline, diesel fuel, asphalt, and tar; and it is turning up in an insane amount of packaged foods. Carcinogens are any material, radionuclide, or radioactivity which, is an agent that is directly involved with causing cancer. They are involved with causing cancer because it has the ability to damage the genome or disrupt the cellular metabolic process. How to start limiting your consumption of foods that contain dyes When reading product packs out for artificial colors. It is a nice way of saying that there are too many colors added to fit on the label.On an ingredients label the most frightening thing to see are the words artificial flavor or artificial color because there’s no way to know what it actually means or contains.Artificial flavor can stand for one unnatural additive is included, or it could be a blend of many additives added.Specifically, artificial flavoring in strawberries can contain around 50 chemical ingredients.In popcorn there’s an artificial flavoring known diacetyl which, is used as a butter flavoring. It is important that you enjoy genuine flavors, instead of fat, sugar, and salt. Which, are added to mask the metallic taste of chemical additives? However, you should search for foods with real ingredients by reading the labels carefully. While devoting time solely to enjoying the pleasures of eating. Plus you can also cook with meals and bake sweets with smaller amounts of these artificial dyes by using natural alternatives like spices and herbs to give color and taste to your foods. By doing so, you will slowly lose your desire for excessive sweet and salty foods. Therefore, go for high-quality foods. When shopping, look for products that have the least quantity of processed ingredients. Lastly, indulgence yourself well by not missing meals. (Weinstein, Bruce, 2010). Conclusion For years there have been discrepancies over whether or not certain food dyes causes various damage to the body. My opinion, there is After this I say they do, and for once may be safe if he or she starts to watch what they eat and learn how to consume little to no foods that contain anything that has a possible chance of hurting them in the long run. While Americans continue to enjoy on cereal bars, fruit juices, candy and many other processed foods with endless amount of coloring all due to imitated food colorings. While, individuals in the United Kingdom are appreciating those same colorful snacks and more, but without the artificial color. Which in turn brings to question; is America really overseeing the public’s safety or is just making the undeniable truth that has been well known since its creation? BIBLIOGRAPHY 7 Worst Ingredients in Processed Foods. Mercola.com. N.p., 30 Dec. 2013. Web. 20 Sept. 2014. The Dark Side of the Rainbow of Food Dyes Being Used to Color Your Food. Mercola.com. N.p., 13 Apr. 2011. Web. 19 Sept. 2014. The Dark Side of the Rainbow of Food Dyes Being Used to Color Your Food. Mercola.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Sept. 2014. Dees, Craig, Judith Moyer, and Curtis Travis. Do Food Dyes Cause Cancer in Americans? Insight on the News (1996): 38. General Reference Center Gold. Halifax Regional Library, 11 Mar. 1996. Web. 23 Nov. 2014. Dye, Food, Allergic Reactions, Carcinogenic, and Contaminants. Food Dyes A Rainbow of Risks. Food Dyes (2010): 1-68. Web. 23 Nov. 2014. FDA Probes Link Between Food Dyes, Kids Behavior. NPR. NPR, n.d. Web. 16 Dec. 2014. Food Coloring and Food Dyes. About Pediatrics Pediatric Parenting and Medical Advice. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Nov. 2014. Gowder, Sivakumar J T. Food Additives. Food Additives Risk Factors for Renal Failure (2013): 1-2. Socialomics. Web. 21 Dec. 2014. Matt. Food Dyes: The Toxic Situation Sott.net. SOTT.net. Food Freedom Network, 03 Feb. 2011. Web. 19 Oct. 2014. Real Food Tips: 7 Reasons I Hate Artificial Food Dyes 100 Days of Real Food. 100 Days of Real Food. N.p., 13 Mar. 2012. Web. 15 Dec. 2014. Sarah Kobylewski,, Sarah, and Michael F. Jacobson. Food Dyes: A Rainbow of Risks. Washington, DC: He Center for Science in the Public Interest, 2010. Food Dyes: A Rainbow of Risks. The Center for Science in the Public Interest, 2010. Web. 23 Nov. 2014. Smart Guide To Food Dyes: Buying Foods That Can Help Learning. Issue brief. Institute For Agriculture and Trade Policy, Feb. 2009. Web. 23 Nov. 2014. Tsuda, S., M. Murakami, N. Matsuska, K. Kano, K. Taniquchi, and Y. F. Sasaki. DNA Damage Induced by Red Food Dyes Orally Administered to Pregnant and Male Mice. Toxicology Science (2001): n. pag. May 2001. Web. 23 Nov. 2014. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Color Additives: FDAs Regulatory Process and Historical Perspectives. THE TARGET GROUP, 2003. Web. 18 Sept. 2014. U.S. Foods Full of Banned Ingredients. Mercola.com. N.p., 27 Feb. 2013. Web. 18 Sept. 2014. Wean Yourself Off Processed Foods in 7 Steps. Mercola.com. N.p., 01 July 2010. Web. 20 Nov. 2014. Weinstein, Bruce, and Mark Scarbrough. Real Food Has Curves: How to Get off Processed Food, Lose Weight, and Love What You Eat ; with More than 100 Recipes. New York: Gallery, 2010. Print.

Reflection on Sending US Troops to Iraq

Reflection on Sending US Troops to Iraq Why The U.S. Should Leave Iraq. We have been in Iraq since President George Bush launched the invasion on Iraq in March 2003. Since then the war the U.S. has spent about seven hundred million dollars. While we still are in fighting to try to rebuild Iraq when we should be trying to save the U.S. from the down fall of our own economy since March of last year. From the National Priorities Project website I found this chart that shows the cost by year the money we are spending on the war in Iraq as well as Afghanistan. Another reason why staying in Iraq is just a bad idea, as John Weiss states, â€Å"We face a paradox in Iraq: the longer we stay, the stronger our enemies become. We cannot defeat either the insurgency or the civil war resulting from our invasion and occupation; in fact, both have grown stronger. Nor can we protect the Iraqis we came to save. A corrupt Iraqi government wastes the billions we have allocated for rebuilding, while the middle class flees to avoid the danger. The Pentagon trains Iraqis to fight, but we may well be training the army of our future enemies.†(Weiss) The longer we are there the more the people there will learn how to hurt the U.S. learn the ways to operate our own military forces. The longer we leave our troops the longer the people of Iraq have time to see what we do in the middle of war. The longer we stay the longer our nation stays unprotected, think about it we have all these troops across seas fighting when and if there is another terrorist attack we in a way have our shields down. It will take longer for us to get prepared or try to reassemble what just happened. Also I ask the question why are we sending more troops? Costing the nation more money, endangering the lives of more Americans? If we are doing what needs to be done and we are doing our job why send more? If they are fighting back harder than we are wasting our time trying to save a lost cause. Hurting our own nation to support a country just so oil prices will drop seems to be a little much some would say. Like Cenk Uygur says. â€Å"If were doing well, its because of the extra troops so we shouldnt pull them out. If were doing poorly, obviously we need more troops. Either way, we need more troops and need to stay in Iraq longer. This supposition is obvious nonsense, yet were taking it seriously.†( Uygur) On the other hand I guess you could say a reason why we should stay in Iraq is, by leaving our troops in Iraq and leave a few there set up a base to watch over operations of what is going on. In one article Marcus Fryman puts it, â€Å"You see, some people are just incapable of thinking long term. In the grand scheme of things, its better to keep US troops in Iraq just so theyll be ready to enter into combat operations in Iran. I mean, doesnt it seem pointless bringing them all the way back home only to deploy them back onto the streets of Tehran a month later?†(Fryman) Plus it could have the opportunity to set up more jobs in the future. Have you ever heard of the term PTSD (Posttraumatic Stress Disorder)? It is defined as a severe anxiety disorder can develop after exposure to any event which results in psychological trauma. This event may involve the threat of death to oneself or to someone else, or to ones own or someone elses physical, sexual, or psychological integrity, overwhelming the individuals psychological defenses. Symptoms include re-experiencing original trauma, by means of flashbacks or nightmares; avoidance of stimuli associated with the trauma; and increased arousal, such as difficulty falling or staying asleep, anger. Formal diagnostic criteria require that the symptoms last more than one month and cause significant impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning, meaning trying to fit back into society or trying to get back to work after experience PTSD. In a test given to 2525 soldiers returning from a year-long tour in Iraq, 124 (4.9%) reported injuries with loss of co nsciousness, 260 (10.3%) reported injuries with altered mental status, and 435 (17.2%) reported other injuries during deployment. Of those reporting loss of consciousness, 43.9% met criteria for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), as compared with 27.3% of those reporting altered mental status, 16.2% with other injuries, and 9.1% with no injury. Soldiers with mild traumatic brain injury, primarily those who had loss of consciousness, were significantly more likely to report poor general health, missed workdays, medical visits, and a high number of somatic and post concussive symptoms than were soldiers with other injuries. However, after adjustment for PTSD and depression, mild traumatic brain injury was no longer significantly associated with these physical health outcomes or symptoms, except for headache. I found a story about a soldier call him Mr. K, a 38-year-old National Guard soldier, was assessed in an outpatient psychiatric clinic several months after he returned home fr om a 12-month deployment to the Sunni Triangle in Iraq, where he had his first exposure to combat in his 10 years of National Guard duty. Before deployment, he worked successfully as an automobile salesman, was a happily married father with children ages 10 and 12 years, and was socially outgoing with a large circle of friends and active in civic and church activities. While in Iraq, he had extensive combat exposure. His platoon was heavily shelled and was ambushed on many occasions, often resulting in death or injury to his buddies. He was a passenger on patrols and convoys in which roadside bombs destroyed vehicles and wounded or killed people with whom he had become close. He was aware that he had killed a number of enemy combatants, and he feared that he may also have been responsible for the deaths of civilian bystanders. He blamed himself for being unable to prevent the death of his best friend, who was shot by a sniper. When asked about the worst moment during his deployment, he readily stated that it occurred when he was unable to intercede, but only to watch helplessly, while a small group of Iraqi women and children were killed in the crossfire during a particularly bloody assault. Since returning home, he has been anxious, irritable, and on edge most of the time. He has become preoccupied with concerns about the personal safety of his family, keeping a loaded 9-mm pistol with him at all times and under his pillow at night. Sleep has been difficult, and when sleep occurs, it has often been interrupted by vivid nightmares during which he thrashes about, kicks his wife, or jumps out of bed to turn on the lights. His children complained that he has become so overprotective that he will not let them out of his sight. His wife reported that he has been emotionally distant since his return. She also believed that driving the car had become dangerous when he is a passenger because he has sometimes reached over suddenly to grab the steering wheel because he thinks he has seen a roadside bomb. His friends have wearied of inviting him to social gatherings because he has consistently turned down all invitations to get together. His employer, who has patiently supported him, has reported that his work has suffered dramatically, that he seems preoccupied with his own thoughts and irritable with customers, that he often makes mistakes, and that he has not functioned effectively at the automobile dealership where he was previously a top salesman. Mr. K acknowledged that he has changed since his deployment. He reported that he sometimes experiences strong surges of fear, panic, guilt, and despair and that at other times he has felt emotionally dead, unable to return the love and warmth of family and friends. Life has become a terrible burden. Although he has not been actively suicidal, he reported that he sometimes thinks everyone would be better off if he had not survived his tour in Iraq. Do we want more troops coming back with things like t his happening when they do not even what our help anymore? Is it worth it? I find myself asking the same question. With everything going on here in the United States I do not think we have the money and are running out of the resources to keep fighting a battle that just may be already lost. By pulling out bring most of our troops home back their families, saves lives, and makes a stronger nation. We can keep some troops there you know a small base let our presents be known. I think we need to keep an eye on them, but this fighting for lost cause just needs to end. Sources. Weiss, John. Why We Should Leave Iraq Now. History News Network. 10-9-06 . Uygur, Cenk. Three Reasons Why We Should Leave Iraq. Mo Rocca 180. 4-10-2008 . Cost of War. National Priorities Project . 2008 . Fryman, Marcus. 10 Reasons Why US Troops Should Stay in Iraq. Marcus Frymans 10 reasons why. 2-27-2009 . Mild Traumatic Brain Injury in U.S. Soldiers Returning from Iraq. The New England Journal of Medicine. January 31, 2008 . Friedman, Matthew. Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Among Military Returnees From Afghanistan and Iraq. Treatment in Psychiatry. 4, April 2006 .

King James I :: Papers

King James I born June 19, 1566, Edinburgh Castle, Edinburgh, Scotland died March 27, 1625, Theobalds, Hertfordshire, England King of Scotland (as James VI) from 1567 to 1625 and first Stuart king of England from 1603 to 1625, who styled himself â€Å"king of Great Britain.† James was a strong advocate of royal absolutism, and his conflicts with an increasingly self-assertive Parliament set the stage for the rebellion against his successor, Charles I. James was the only son of Mary, Queen of Scots, and her second husband, Henry Stewart, Lord Darnley. Eight months after James's birth his father died when his house was destroyed by an explosion. After her third marriage, to James Hepburn, Earl of Bothwell, Mary was defeated by rebel Scottish lords and abdicated the throne. James, one year old, became king of Scotland on July 24, 1567; Mary left the kingdom on May 16, 1568, and never saw her son again. During his minority James was surrounded by a small band of the great Scottish lords, from whom emerged the four successive regents, the earls of Moray, Lennox, Mar, and Morton. There did not exist in Scotland the great gulf between rulers and ruled that separated the Tudors and their subjects in England. For nine generations the Stuarts had in fact been merely the ruling family among many equals, and James all his life retained a feeling for those of the great Scottish lords who gained his confidence. The young king was kept fairly isolated but was given a good education until the age of 14. He studied Greek, French, and Latin and made good use of a library of classical and religious writings that his tutors, George Buchanan and Peter Young, assembled for him. James's education aroused in him literary ambitions rarely found in princes but which also tended to make him a pedant. Before James was 12 he had taken the government nominally into his own hands when the Earl of Morton was driven from the regency in 1578. For several years more, however, James remained the puppet of contending intriguers and faction leaders. After falling under the influence of the Duke of Lennox, a Roman Catholic who schemed to win back Scotland for the imprisoned Queen Mary, James was kidnapped by William Ruthven, 1st Earl of Gowrie, in 1582 and was forced to denounce Lennox. The following year James escaped from his Protestant captors and began to pursue his own policies as king.

Marijuana Essay -- Agriculture Illegal Drugs Essays

Marijuana The third largest agricultural good in the nation and a ten billion-dollar industry has nothing to do with the agriculture we are use to. This good is Marijuana, an illegal drug. It is "the most widely used illicit drug in America" n(Gold v). In Florida alone, marijuana sales are greater than all businesses except tourism (Gold v). What is marijuana? Marijuana, a plant, known as Cannabis Sativa, labeled that by Carolus Linnaeus in 1753 (Grinspoon 1), is "one of nature's hardiest specimens" (Abel ix). It can survive in any climatic condition possible, and flourishes like weeds do. Marijuana acts like a weed, stealing all the sunlight and nutrients around it. The soil needed for growing marijuana for its intoxicant, is dry thin soil, along with horse or cow manure (Grinspoon 40). It can grow to be from three to twenty feet at maturity (Abel ix), and grows at a rapid speed. Germination of the plants occurs simultaneously. Life shows six days after planting, and after two weeks, strong h ealthy leaves should have grown (Grinspoon 40). The marijuana plant is dioecious, which means that it grows separate male and female plants. The male plant is usually taller than the female plant, and dies after its flowering cycle (Abel 4). The female plant is bushier and "secretes a resin that covers the flowering tops and nearby leaves" (Abel 5). This resin is secreted by glandular hairs that are found on the leaves and is used to protect the marijuana plant from water loss (Gol...

Cargo Ship

Unitized Cargo Ship The concept of utilization is not a new one; it was used by the USA army in the second world army war to provide its forces fighting in Europe with weapons and ammunition. Unitization since that time has been used and developed to comprise all modes of maritime transport, as well as air and land transport modes. Definition: Utilization is a grouping together of two or more (Usually of a homogeneous nature) and securing with banding, glue, shrink-wrap, slings or permanent (e. g. lover leaf), to form a unit which, together with a Base (skids, pallets, etc. ) Or a permanent sling allows Mechanical handling equipment (e. g. tynes of a fork Life truck) to lift and transport the unit. In addition, Unitized cargo can aslo be defined as the grouped cargo that is carried aboard a ship in pallets, containers, wheeled vehicles, and barges or lighters. In other words, unitization of cargo is the process of grouping products and loading them onto a pallet once the products are properly packed.In other words, the whole process starts with packaging of products into individual packages before being put into an outer pack before they’re shrinking wrapped and loaded onto a pallet. Advantages of unitization: * Ease of tallying. * Reduced breakage. * Reduced pilferage * Faster speed of working between ship and shore (and on ship or shore). * Reduced labour requirements when handling between interfaces. * May make more effective use of vertical storage space in sheds and holds by stacking 4,5 or 6 units high.Disadvantage of unitization: * Loss of spaces below decks where the ship of the vessel is compatible with the space of the unit. * Loss of spaces caused by the shape of the package beginning unitized, e. g. drums on pallets. * Collapsed or crushed units requires labour intensive efforts to rectify, handle and store. * An element of extra cost involved in the pallet, slings , skids, shrink-wrap, strapping , etc.

Don Delillo’s Videotape Essay

The plot of Don Delillo’s Videotape is strange enough as it is; a twelve year old girl is playing with a video camera while in the back seat of their family car. Thinking it is fun to do so, she points the camera out the back window and starts recording the man driving the car behind them. It is not long before the girl and her video camera become witness to the man being fatally shot, and her video becomes widely publicized thereafter. The introduction of the story is with the role of the twelve year old girl in the entire structure of the story. How she gets involved, and the after-effects of her involvement all form the basic concepts and structure of the story. Careful readers will note several complications within the storyline itself that develop surrounding the young girl. The first is her reaction to keep the video camera running even during the actual shooting itself. Being in the process of witnessing a murder in cold blood, the child is faced with the conflict of stopping the recording or satisfying a morbid fascination to continue watching. Ultimately, the child is unable to resist, possibly because of the curiosity that comes with the experience of seeing something new. However, Videotape does not just focus on the child and her story. It tells of the people watching it on television afterwards, specifically of a couple’s reaction to it. In the story, while the wife seems relatively uninterested in the real-life drama going on in the video, the husband displays the same morbid fascination with the murder similar to that earlier demonstrated by the child. The irony of the situation is such that while the idea of seeing the murder of a fellow human being in real life is repulsive enough, seeing it in a different form seems to effectively change the circumstances surrounding it, making it acceptable even. The conclusion of the story ultimately reveals the unfortunate side of man that revels in others’ loss when presented in a manner so usually associated with mass entertainment.

Imperfections of normal life Essay

‘One ring to rule them all, one ring to find them, one ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them’. This line sounds stereotypically from a fantasy film, and it would perhaps not fit in to other genres such as comedy or romance. Fantasy films often take us in to a different world and away from the imperfections of our normal life, they are a great contrast to our lives, in fantasy films things are always extremes, either great things are happening, or extremely bad things are occurring; whereas for the everyday person, such things rarely happen and life is just monotonous. To be taken in to a life of someone else’s with unbelievable things happening to them is an excitement and people enjoy being taken from their world and being placed in a dream place, where everything is perfect. Films of the fantasy genre are mainly based on popular myths and legends, characters are things like dragons, wizards, elves, dwarves – all things we have heard stories about. Films stretch these myths and bring them to life; they often bring back elements of our childhood and will therefore entertain us even more. Settings, characters, events, music, endings and dialogue all contribute to us experiencing these things. Also, these certain things in a film will be very typical of the particular genre, some styles of music and characters will only fit in one genre, and some genres will only have certain music and characters. The film Lord of the rings – The fellowship of the ring has many attributes of its fantasy genre, the settings and locations within the film are all similar to that of many of fantasy movies. One of the settings in Lord of the Rings is Lothlorien, it contains many huge elaborate buildings, and beautiful gardens; the weather here is never bad and the atmosphere is always bright and cheerful. This setting will help emphasise what is happening in it, often in a place that is light and peaceful scenes with happy moments will be portrayed here, rather than dark upsetting scenes such as battles. These surroundings help engage the audience as what they’re seeing is incredible and wouldn’t be something they’d see in real life, it will interest them to see something they haven’t seen before. Another location in this film is the mines of Moria, this is the opposite of the previous setting, here it is always dark, gloomy, cold and damp; one again, the surroundings in the film will determine what the audience will be feeling, when they see this setting, they will be anticipating something bad to be happening and this will help to get the audience engaged in the film. In fantasy films, there will always be certain types of characters, a strong and brave person, someone who is wise and clever, one who is weak yet brave and noble, a beautiful woman who is adored by most of the characters. There will often be an evil counterpart for these characters, and the characters within The Lord of the Rings are all what you would expect to see in a fantasy movie. The main character in this film is Frodo, he has little strength and fighting ability but is strong willed and brave. He has the characteristics of the typical fantasy main character, and these characteristics help entertain the audience; they like to see an underdog win. Also they will be a character the audience can usually relate to and are often a more credible person than most others in fantasy films. Frodo has three friends, Meri, Pippin and Sam who are all similar to him these characters add a comedy element to some parts of the film, mostly to relieve the tension when needed. This helps entertain the audience more so. In Lord of the Rings there is a slight exception to the rule of there being one person who is strong, brave and does most of the fighting, as there are four characters like this, Aragorn (Strider), Boromir, Gimli and Legolas. Having four incredible characters intensifies the battles, also all the characters are unrealistic yet this entertains people more as they are seeing something they wouldn’t usually see. Once again fitting in with the stereotypes of the fantasy genre there is a beautiful woman that someone falls in love with, audiences often like romance within a film, especially between two characters they have seen a lot of during the movie and have grown attached to. People like to see other people they like succeed or do well, whether it’s in a fight or in a relationship. This is yet another technique that gets the audience more in to the film. The final character typical of almost every fantasy film is the evil one, in this particular film it is Saruman, he is originally good but is then corrupted and turns evil. With an evil character in a film, it gives the viewer someone to hate and whenever they do anything to the good characters; it angers the audience and lures them deeper and deeper in to the world of the film. Another thing that is very much a characteristic of a fantasy film is the names of the characters, it’s not every day you meet someone called Boromir or Frodo, with these incredible , unusual names it takes the audience even further away from there normal life and more in to the movie. Events in a film are what entertain us the most, they are the factor that determines whether we enjoy a movie or not. Different people like to see different things on screen and films often need to try and interest everyone. Events in a fantasy film can completely change how we feel, they can make us sad, happy, angry, a whole range of different emotions. Fantasy films in particular try and cater for everyone’s tastes; they include intense battle scenes, yet also have the contrast with romantic love scenes. The most typical event in a fantasy film is a battle, or maybe even multiple battles, these engage the viewer and also determine what characters the audience take a liking to. The fights are mostly between the main character and their arch nemesis, the battles are incredible and nothing anyone would see in real life, therefore they entertain the audience. The other event that is almost always in a fantasy film is romantic scene, between the main ‘good’ character, and the beautiful lady. People like to see characters they like, succeed in a relationship, or even a battle for that matter. Also, the love scene acts as good relief from the stresses of the fights and other more aggressive moments in the film. Lord of The Rings once again contains these stereotypes; the battle at weather top between the four hobbits and Aragorn against the ring wraiths, the fight is intense and ends with one of the main characters, Frodo, being stabbed. This makes the audience feel more hatred towards the ring wraiths who are the evil characters, and more sympathetic towards Frodo.

Education for Secondary Students With Mental Retardation Essay

Education is important for any young person. All secondary school students are looking forward to their futures and independence. This is the goal that mentally challenged students also look forward to. It is the challenge of the school system to give each young person the best possible chance at achieving the goal of independence or at the very least performing daily functions to the best of his or her ability. In order for a school or teacher to accomplish this, the teacher must determine the student’s level of academic and adaptive skills then find ways to help him successfully transition into an area of employment that matches his skills. Education for Secondary Students with Mental Retardation Teachers who work with students with disabilities face greater challenges in preparing their students for the world outside of school. Many mentally retarded students, however can be very functional and hold jobs, if they are properly prepared for the world and helped to find their strengths. One of the first things the special education teacher needs to know is that each disability is different and each disabled student has individual needs. Once the teacher has established that each student needs to be treated differently, then a plan can be developed for the student’s future. The first step in helping a student reach his full potential is to determine the skills he already has, such as his academic and adaptive skills. By using these skills, the teacher can help the student make a successful transition from the academic world into the adult world of employment. A final step in successfully educating special needs students involves matching the student’s strongest skills with potential employment opportunities and training the student for the job he would be most likely to succeed in. When a teacher gets a special needs student in her class, her first challenge is to find out what his natural skills are. The first set of skills that need to be evaluated are the student’s academic skills. Academic skills consist what is usually considered school knowledge or what the student learned in school. Academic skills include skills such as critical thinking, reading, writing and mathematical skills (Young, 2007). They are often considered the skills that can be taught. A teacher who wants to see a student succeed needs to determine how well developed the student’s academic skills are developed and what areas of strength the student has in the area of academics. Although it is important for a teacher to provide a well rounded education to students, it is equally important to focus on the student’s specific areas of strength. Once the teacher has determined where the student’s strengths lie, a specific curriculum can be designed for that student. A curriculum is a specific course of study either for an entire class or, with special education, a specific student. It provides a sort of blue print for the educational goals (Browder, 2001). A good reason for developing a curriculum for students with disabilities is to help ensure positive out comes from the information being taught (Browder, 2001). This essentially means that by designing a curriculum specifically for an individual student, it will help that student maximize his academic strengths. Adaptive skills are equally important to helping determine the best way to help students reach their full potential. Adaptive skills can be defined as â€Å"how well a person can deal with the tasks of everyday life. These tasks include the ability to speak and understand; home-living skills; use of community resources; leisure, self-care, and social skills; self-direction. † (Free Health, 2007). Adaptive skills are the kind of skills that allow the student to adapt the information he knows into actions that can help them in daily living. These skills are vitally important in combination with the academic skills in order for a person to effectively adapt to the world and be independent. It is very important for teachers of mentally disabled students to help them develop their adaptive skills to increase the student’s independence. Part of this includes helping the student gain access to community services that can assist in various areas in the community (such as rent assistance, adaptive equipment, or financial assistance). This is another area in which individual attention is needed in order to insure that each student reaches his maximum potential. A teacher needs to assess the social and daily survival skills that the student possess and then help the student develop the areas of strength. In order to develop the skills, the student must practice the skills repeatedly and build on them. The students, like people without disabilities desire to develop socially acceptable behavior and in order to develop this, they must try to maintain it (Wacker, 1984). Once the level of skills and the student’s ability to adapt have been determined, the teacher needs to find the best way to prepare the student for life outside of the school setting. Most mentally challenged people will require some outside assistance in order to be successful. Many students leaving high school go to group homes or spend time in adult day care (Thompson, 1987). In order to successfully transition a mentally disabled young person from the very structured school setting to the adult world, it will take the involvement of more than just the teacher. Family members and community assistance needs to be involved, when looking into helping a mentally challenged young person adapt to life outside of high school. For at least the last year of the student’s school career, the teacher, parents, and the community social service workers involved should meet to discover the most likely success plan for the student. The young person should be included in the process of planning, in order to make the plan more likely to succeed. The plan needs to be within the abilities and skills of the student, and include the student’s interest. The majority of the people classified as mentally retarded are considered to be high functioning enough to live alone and be employed if they are provided with some community assistance. If the student has successfully developed his strongest skills, then he is likely to become fairly well adjusted to functioning in the community. The teacher by the time of graduation needs to have taught the student such basic skills as money management, meal preparation, grooming and safety. In addition to the basic skills, the student needs to have developed some job skills, in order to obtain and maintain employment. The job skills are where the student’s individual areas of strength become important, as those strengths often correlate with the student’s interests. If the teacher and family members effectively helped the student develop the skills, the student is more likely to make a successful transition into the adult world. Those who choose to live on their own instead of with parents or family, often move into group home settings at least initially. Group homes are homes in which several mentally retarded people live together either with some full time supervision or occasional monitoring to provide assistance. Living in one of these homes can often help with the transition from school to independence. Employment opportunities for the mentally challenged vary widely based upon their skills and abilities. Many restaurants and grocery stores employ mentally challenged individuals for stocking shelves or greeting customers. In some cases they help in group environments specifically designed to employ mentally retarded people. Most of these places are set up to provide added support and structure for the disabled people. â€Å"Currently, only one-third of all disabled Americans with disabilities work, although the remaining two-thirds who are not working would like to have a job, but may or may not be looking for one† (Brodsky, 1990). Those who would like to have jobs, but are not actively seeking them may not have been properly prepared by their school systems, their communities or their families. These people need to be informed on the opportunities available to them and provided with assistance on finding suitable employment for their skill level and abilities. Most businesses now claim they are equal opportunity employers, which means that anyone can apply for positions in the company. Some jobs do have basic requirements either for specific position knowledge or for safety purposes, but the company can not turn down a qualified applicant simply because they have a diagnosis of mental retardation. This law has helped many disabled people have opportunities they might not have had available to them a number of years ago. In addition to this many businesses are providing special accommodations for wheelchairs and hearing impaired employees to make jobs more accessible. Everyone has some talent and skills that other people do not possess and everyone despite his or her disabilities has the right to reach his or her maximum potential. It is the job of society to see that every child is raised to reach that potential. No child should be left behind or written off as incapable of accomplishing anything. No one knows what a person is capable of until someone has helped the person achieve success. Everyone even the most intelligent people need some assistance to achieve his maximum potential. The new laws that have been passed in recent years have helped to ensure that the school systems provide the necessary assistance to help disabled children reach their maximum potential rather than just passing them on and counting them for the sake of the school census, until they reach the age of eighteen.Many schools today are legally obligated to provide a satisfactory education to every student. Resources: Beker, Jerome. (1988) Transitioning Exceptional Children and Youth Into the Community. Hawthorn Press/New York. Booth, Tony. (1983). Policies Towards the Integration of Mentally Handicapped Children in Education Oxford Review of Education. Vol. 9, No. 3, 1983. Brodsky, Melvin. (1990) Employment Programs for Disabled Youth: An International View. Monthly Labor Review, Vol. 113, 1990 Browder, Diane. (2001) Curriculum and Assessment for Students with Moderate And Severe Disabilities. Guilford Press/New York. Cambridge, Paul. (2005) Person Centered Planning and Care Management With People With Learning Disabilities. Jessica Kingsly Publishers/ London Connis, Richard T. (1981). Training the Mentally Handicapped for Employment: A Comprehensive Manual. Kluwer Academic Pub Free Health Encyclopedia. (2007). Advameg. Retrieved October 3, 2008 from: Mental Retardation – Definition, Description, Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis, Treatment, Prognosis, Prevention President’s Committee on Mental Retardation- The President’s Committee on Employment of the Handicapped (1969). Rao, H. P. (1994). Employment opportunities for mentally handicapped individuals in rural area : a proposed model. Journal of the Indian Academy of Applied Psychology. 1994 Jul; 20(2): 131-7 Thompson, Angela. (1987). Mentally Handicapped School Leavers: Where do they Go? Child care: Health and Development. Wacker, David. (1984). Training Moderately and Severely Mentally Handicapped Children to Use Adaptive Social Skills. School Psychology Review, v13 n3 p324-30 Sum 1984 Young, John W. (2007). Validity of the Measure of Academic Proficiency and Progress. Educational Testing Service.

Final project - Intellectual property (the ethical implications of Essay - 1

Final project - Intellectual property (the ethical implications of file sharing) - Essay Example File sharing, especially of music files, is popularly termed as theft, piracy or free-riding. An in-depth look at music file sharing shows virtues of friendship and sociability among users. This study aims at determining whether file sharing in general is vice or virtual. This study also tries to understand the impulsion of music sharing. Looking at the ethical implications of intellectual property, we observed in the year 2004, there were around 70 million people who actively participated in online file sharing. According to reported poll that conduced by the CNBC News in the year 2009, approximately 58 % Americans were involved in file sharing and in American norms; this is acceptable to enhance their knowledge and pleasure. They are the common opinion in UK that "if a person owns the music CD and shares it with a limited number of friends and acquaintances" it can not be termed as stealing of intellectual property. Hence, this sort of sharing increased to the extent of 70% within the age bracket of 18 to 29 year olds (Silverthrone 65). Creation of minds reflects in the form of new concepts, ideas, inventions, literary and artistic work such as writings, paintings, symbols, images and designs where it can appropriately be termed as an intellectual property. It can be divided into two segments:  a) Industrial property which comprised of trademarks, designs and b) Copyright in the shape of novels, poems, radio plays, screen plays, films, documentaries, music, paintings, drawing, photography and computer software.   The above mentioned creations come under the purview of copy right act. In this respect, we may include innovations and creations made by the local communities, as their cultural heritage is part of intellectual property (Greenhalgh & Rogers 135). Famous Software Foundation established by  Richard Stallman,  he has the view that the term intellectual property in its broader

Annotated Bibliography Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 6

Annotated Bibliography Example The authors argue that since human interactions are inimitable and cannot be reproduced in a different organizational context without losing their innate characteristics, organizations can retain knowledge within the organization and continue to use it as a strategic asset to create competitive advantage. This article challenges the assumption of a universal set of knowledge management practices by arguing for a contingency-based approach to knowledge management. The article describes the organizational context for knowledge management along the dimensions of process and content orientation on the one hand and focused and broad domains on the other. Based on the possible combinations, four different approaches are identified, i.e. internalization, externalization, combination and socialization. Based on where the particular organizational division is situated in the contingency grid, managers should adopt the associated approach to promote knowledge creation and management among employees. Empirical research validates much of the contingency model with the exception of the externalization approach as it did not contribute to the expected positive impact. This report explains how managers may benefit from implementing knowledge management practices in the organization. The report highlights several advantages of knowledge management including the promotion of creativity, faster decision making and competitive responses in the market. The report encourages managers to adopt knowledge management practices by discussing examples of real organizations where knowledge management has been implemented and has yielded beneficial results. Knowledge management can be practiced by creating appropriate structures and systems to create and disseminate knowledge. The report also states that managers should constantly evaluate the effectiveness of their knowledge management systems by establishing specific criteria to measure the

Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of one or two particular Essay

Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of one or two particular research methods (e.g. ethnography narrative enquiry surveys q - Essay Example Social science survey research is significant as it seeks to measure previous and current behavior, as well as future behavior (Marelli, 2004). As can be seen from political survey polls, these polls evaluate public opinion likely determining how people would vote in upcoming elections. The surveys also in public health would assess health behavior including eating trends, exercise trends, smoking behavior, wearing of seatbelts, frequency of routine exams, and other related relevant health behavior (Marelli, 2004). These studies seek predictions and trends in human behavior and how such behavior can be changed. In effect, individuals without health insurance can be surveyed using questions on how willing they are to pay health insurance. The surveys can also be applied in determining if individuals would buy more fresh vegetables if these were cheaper (Hatch, 2009). Survey subjects likely covered for survey research include those who can be accurately evaluated through subject respon se (Hoppe, 1998). Physical measures can sometimes be accurately assessed if the subjects have standard resources. In other words, height, weight, blood sugar, nutrition, and blood pressure can easily be measured where the subjects apply standard measures. Medication use can also be evaluated based on an individual’s prescription information. Clinical results, however, are sometimes not being measured during the survey research especially as they need health care professionals to carry out the process (Mathiyazhagan and Nandan, 2010). Health care application would fit well for surveys since the responses can be taken from the subjects, insurance records, or the written records. Disease incidence and prevalence are often more complicated to measure as they call for accurate means of diagnosing (Hatch, 2009). Mental health diseases are considered exempted because they are often diagnosed using survey scored within or outside the mental health system. Validity The validity of sur vey research is evaluated by measures similar to clinical research studies (Hatch, 2009). The covered population must still be specifically defined and a sample population extracted. The most relevant source of bias in survey research is on sampling. As soon as the target population is established, random or representative samples have to be chosen and those chosen must then be asked to participate in the study (Glasow, 2005). For some populations, the samples are easy to define and extract. Samples in clinical settings can be randomly chosen from the medical records. Inclusion and exclusion criteria, including condition, age, gender, treatment can then be compiled before the sampling process is initiated (Hatch, 2009). Patients with existing relations with the researcher would likely entertain calls or invitations to participate. The larger population however would be more difficult to locate and include in the sample population. Granting that the target is a population of adults i n a city in the eastern coast of the United States, the first task would be to identify all the adults in the area. The sources would also have to be laid out. Telephone listings are considered one of the sources of names, however not all adults have listed numbers, and others use cell phones, and the rest, do not even have phones (Hatch, 2009). In some instances, other

Managing Decision Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Managing Decision - Essay Example As such, it requires a certain kind of a person to make such major decisions which will make the business successful. It is imperative to note that the whole process of starting a business requires an ardent decision maker who can sacrifice the safety of his comfort zone for the good of the business (Teale, 2003). Good decision making is necessary because a new venture is very risky and makes heavy demands on professionalism, resources, personal time and funds. With a strong inner drive to reap good fruits from the business that is just started, the entrepreneur needs to take control and make plausible decisions. This report will consider techniques to a business opportunity- a coffee shop. The business opportunity chosen is Luna coffee shop. The business seeks to provide beverage products near the hospital located at the city center of Atlanta. When analyzing the market, it was clear there was a gap as most of the patients, nurses, doctors and workers in the hospital preferred to have their tea, coffee and other beverages delivered to them from outside the hospital. This coffee shop will offer the proximity and comfort of delivering coffee near the hospital while at the same time giving the customers their convenience. Furthermore, the coffee shop seeks to tap into a new medical college that has nearly been opened near the hospital. The mission statement is â€Å"Fresh, revitalizing and nourishing†. This shows that the beverages are unique, fresh and packed with natural ingredients to give the customer that nourishing and revitalizing feeling. The business wishes to work with direct suppliers of natural herbs such as cinnamon, ginger, garlic and other therapeutic herbs which are key to making our coffee unique and attractive. The coffee shop will start at a twenty person sitting capacity but will soon be expanded as the number of customers increase. Luna coffee shop wishes to make their approach

Critically discuss the proposal that effective HRM policies can Essay

Critically discuss the proposal that effective HRM policies can support the delivery of business strategies and affect their performance. The arguments for and against this proposal-show the evidence - Essay Example Morfeld (2003) however, notes that despite the popularity of the aforementioned initiative, the activities of human resource managers, specifically workplace staffing, can be described as tactical at its best. The author notes that these strategies are in fact, reactive as managers usually scramble to fill in a vacant position upon the resignation of an employee, as an example. Although the abovementioned is at times, unavoidable, Human Resource generalists believe that there are effective ways to use human resource policies to enable a company to deliver strategy and high performance. This strategy usually entails the full support of the corporate leaders. In the same manner, effective HR policies also imply changes within the processes and procedures of the company in order to become successful. Finally, it is also of vital importance to demand commitment and cooperation in all levels of management in order to ensure that a company drafts and implements effectual HR policies. HR seems to have taken a more strategic role in the enterprise – an apparent paradigm shift. The focus on the synthesis of HRM practices and policies with strategy has been depicted as a paradigm shift from an administrative to a strategic thrust or goal (Thomason 1991). Unlike traditional personnel management that is characterized as reactive, parochial, and concentrates on rank and file employees, HRM is proactive in finding and setting up practices and policies which are consistent across all organizational policy areas (Miller 1989; Schuler 1991). The HRM orientation makes it imperative for personnel practices and policies to respond to enterprise needs (Schuler 1991). In addition, HRM considers employees as valued strategic resources instead of merely being overhead cost. A core goal of HRM is the effectual management of people within the enterprise – when done, this is expected to garner competitive advantage (Kamoche 1991; Miller 1989). In comparison with