My area landscape analysis examining every activities done it

The area I chosen for this study is called Muyenga in Kampala city Uganda. It is located on a hill with gentle slopes every side of it, and surrounded by swamp areas(water logged areas).The whole area stretch is about   4 square kilometers and 5 kilometers from the city center. It is accessed through tama ked roads with good water channels. When stood on the top of this area you can have a clear view of the whole underneath surrounding areas with a clear city view. Part of this area is rocky with a shrub type of vegetation coverage. The other sections of this area are sandy with savannah kind of vegetation and tall tresses. On the other side of this hill there is another swamp with a wide coverage of papyrus vegetation stretch up to the clear water lake (Lake. Victoria) WHAT IS GOING ON This area is sub-divided into several developments and several activities are taking place. On the top of this hill there is located one of the biggest city water supply tank. There is a section of this area which is developed in a residential housing estate. Houses in this section of this area maintain good gardens with trees in compounds. The section which has rocks have been developed into quarries (stone mining and cutting) and some building sand mining. The other side of this area which has the papyrus vegetation coverage has been partly conserved for green belt by the national environmental management authority (NEMA). This meant that there are no activities/developments allowed in this section before the approval of this institution. Other down hill areas has been gazette in to industrial areas and there are also some unplanned housings (slums) in this industrial area. WHAT FITS TOGETHER The development of this area into a residential housing estate is ok since a tree planting is maintained and a green grass in compounds. The section of this area which has the rocks to be developed in a quarry was also fine. The conservation of the green belt (wet land) was fantastic. The maintain ace of tama ked roads with good water channels also fits because this act prevents soil erosion. WHAT DOES’T FIT The development of some parts of the swamp into the industrial area did not fit, because swamps act as natural water filter and purifiers. You know water from factories and industries and other activities in the city is highly polluted. So there is a need for swafor water purification before it gets into the lake. When polluted water goes straight in the lake it causes a high risky of living water spices endangerment .This can also cause high rates of pipeline water purification. Secondly it is not healthy to establish factories and industries near to residential areas. There is a standard distance to be maintained. The encroachment of peasants on the gazette greenbelt also didn’t fit. The drainage of swamps for other activities like unplanned housing (slums) also doesn’t fit SPECULATE WHAT HAPPENED Geographically it is said that this area falls into the category of a plateau. It is speculated to be having formed by either weathering or up and down warping. A plateau some times called tableland is a large stretch of land with approximately similar heights above sea level. (Tamale.E. Geography in the new era 1997) It stands out higher than surrounding areas or in form of a wave kind of formation with its sides slope down to the lower lands. A plateau compared to an elevated plain, bears a very big difference between the two. With a plateau, valleys are narrow, deep sometimes with steep sides yet for a pain there are broad with big stretches. The rivers in a plateau are swift and carve deep compared to those in plain. Plateaus are always high (height above sea level) compared to plains. (Morgan. Advanced geography for secondary schools.2001) It is thought that plateaus were formed as a result of wearing down of higher mountainous areas or by the process of denudation. And if this continues to be effective, the whole plateau might be reduced to near a plain’s height. (Tendo.L.Modern geography 2002) WHAT IS CURRENTLY HAPPENING The fact that this area is considered to be a plateau. This area is greatly exploited by man’s activities which are a threat to its sharp and future existence. The terracing of the area for leveling building sites, cutting down of trees and drainage of swamps and wetlands is going on this area. Industrial wastes and polluted water goes direct in the clear water lake. Brokerage of water channels   Ã‚  and encroachment in wet lands for peasant farming and unplanned housing. WHAT MIGHT HAPPEN If all these activities mentioned above are not controlled there is a possible flooding which might take place. The act of stone cutting and mining causes a great threat to this area (plateau) weathering down in to plain in future. The act of gazette swamp to industrial areas causes a big threat to the lake water pollution and thus high costs of pipe line water purification. Also industries to be located near residential areas are a very big threat to the health of the people. Encroachment on the wetlands and clearing of the papyrus vegetation is a possible threat of reduction of water levels in the lake. EVALUTION My opinion about this is, first I would appeal to the concerned to maintain not only for this area but a national tree planting campaign. This can ensure conservation of soil and reduction of erosion. I would discourage industrialization of swamps and wetlands to maintain a steady and healthy stretch of the green belt. This can help ensure a good natural purification of polluted water before it gets in the fresh water lake. This thus can also reduce on the cost of pipe line water treatment and purification. I would support the national environment management authority in its struggle to conserve the environment. Every strategy put in control we can preserve and conserve our environment Reference list Tamale.E (1997). Geography in the new era(pp.72-75) Moorgan.D. (2001) Advanced geography for secondary schools(pp.45-47) Tendo.F. (1998).Morden geography.JB publishers 1st edition(pp.57-60)   

Why Have Nuclear Weapons Not Been Used in Conflict Since 1945?

Why have nuclear weapons not been used in conflict since 1945? Nuclear weapons have only ever been used once in human history, and that was during World War II when The United States deployed missiles on Japanese territory, in Nagasaki and Hiroshima. At the time of bombing in 1945 only the USA had developed nuclear weapons, whilst today the pool of states consisting of nuclear weapons is still extremely small, with only nine states laying claim to nuclear technology and weaponry. This nuclear proliferation is explained by Darryl Howlett who explains this as the worldwide spread of nuclear weapons.For Howlett states are nuclear driven because of the ‘strategic, political and prestige benefits’ attached to nuclear weapons[1]. In the modern world the mass media are often critical about nuclear weapons and the threats they pose for society, but this begs the question; why have nuclear weapons not been used in conflict since 1945? To answer this question the issues of taboo a nd deterrence and the arrival of virtual nuclear arsenals must be called into question, as well as theoretical ideas such as rationality from proliferation optimists and proliferation pessimists.I will also look at whether we currently live in a non-proliferation regime, and look at the alternatives for peace and nuclear non-usage. The first area of nuclear non-usage I will look at will be the arguments brought forward by proliferation pessimists and optimists. Kennitz Waltz, a proliferation optimist argues on one hand we cannot stop the spread of nuclear weapons. It’s inevitable because states seek power through nuclear weapons; even smaller, less powerful states align themselves with nuclear wielding states for protection and security.But on the other hand, Waltz argues states are rational actors, and believes nuclear weapons will be used responsibly, which is why nuclear weapons have not been used. For Waltz, more states who have nuclear weapons, the better. Waltz writes, â€Å"A blatant offensive is madness. Nuclear weapons and states that acquire them will reduce the chances of war and lower the intensity of war. †[2] For Waltz this provides deterrence from the threat of nuclear weapons. If this is the case, it would explain why nuclear weapons were used in the first place; there simply was no deterrence against the United States in Japan.Arguing against the optimists, Proliferation pessimists have another answer for the non-usage of nuclear weapons. Scott D. Sagen, proliferation pessimist has contradictory views of the state, believing states could be irrational, especially when militaristic figures take over decision making. Sagen argues all military have â€Å"organisational behaviour†[3] where by military figures are more likely to resort to nuclear warfare, and for a few who dare to venture, there is always an issue with miscalculation.Sagen argues the only reason nuclear weapons haven’t been used is because there hasnâ₠¬â„¢t been a war worth using them in. For Sagen disarmament is a means of ending the possibility of a nuclear threat. Furthermore, my next point explores the idea and theory surrounding the concept of taboo as a reason why nuclear weapons haven’t been used since 1945. Taboo is a concept coined by Nina Tanenwald, and it means the ‘tradition of non-use’, in this case nuclear weapons have become stigmatised[4].For Tanenwald deterrence alone doesn’t explain why nuclear weapons haven’t been used; Deterrence works though in Tanenwald’s view, but only when working side by side with taboo. With nuclear weapons there are moral, ethical and political costs attached, with Tanenwald stating that a â€Å"â€Å"moral norm† proscribing the use of nuclear weapons developed during the decades after the Hiroshima and Nagasaki attacks†[5] when talking about the moral issues of nuclear weapons. World opinion is also the biggest political constraint , with many people feeling politically and ethically united against the usage of nuclear attacks.In addition the norms and values of a society wielding nuclear weapons also matters, with South Africa an example of nuclear disarmament because of social and ethical efforts made by their people. Possibly the biggest example of taboo was during the nineteen year Vietnam War. Nina Tanenwald argues that nuclear were not used, which is obviously true, but using nuclear artillery was heavily discussed by United States forces. Three American presidents, Lyndon B. Johnson, John F. Kennedy and Richard Nixon, all in power during the Vietnam War chose not to use nuclear force.Tanenwald believes it is the moral, ethical and political factors, the taboo effect which proves non-use of nuclear weapons. Furthermore the concept of taboo and deterrence working together comes from theorist Henry Kissinger who was the Secretary of State under the Richard Nixon administration during the Vietnam War and pl ayed a huge roll in United States foreign policy. In his book ‘Diplomacy’, Kissinger writes, â€Å"Never have the military gap between the superpower and non-nuclear state been greater. Never was it best likely to be invoked. [6] Tanenwald would suggest Taboo was working in the concept of Deterrence with Kissinger’s words, possibly signalling the importance of taboo as a reason for nuclear non-use since 1945. The third argument for the absence of nuclear weapons since 1945 is through the concept of deterrence. Deterrence is the measures taken by a state or an alliance of multiple states to prevent hostile action by another, in this case through nuclear weapons. Colin Gray is one theorist who believes because of deterrence nuclear weapons are not used because they are not rational.According to Gray, taboo holds no truth, so argues against the ideas of Nina Tanenwald fiercely, with Gray going on to say that â€Å"it’s too clever†[7] to retaliate from a nuclear missile, so states are deterred from doing so in the first place. Gray and deterrence supporters are worried that if people begin believing in the truth of taboo, states might feel obliged to disarm nuclear artillery, which could prove even more fatal as it will disrupt the balance of power, especially between larger nations.With less nuclear capable states, there is a fear amongst deterrence supporters one state could use nuclear weapons to enhance their position as an international actor, and cause more war in doing so[8]. In this case, weapons are used as the ultimate form of deterrence, one which maintains the balance of power and eliminates the threat of nuclear strikes. The next area of discussion is the arrival of virtual nuclear arsenals (VNA’s). According to Michael Mazaar virtual nuclear arsenals are where you store and reconstruct nuclear weapons[9].When looking at why these have helped prolong the nuclear non-use, virtual nuclear arsenals are important because they eliminate the threat of miscalculation or an accidental bombing. Secondly by having deconstructed weapons, you can store each individual part separately, which means your weapons are harder to steal as they are stored in unknown locations. Mazaar argues that nuclear weapons haven’t been used because VNA’s act as a deterrent from attack. No one will strike your territory with a nuclear missile it they know at some point down the line there will be a retaliation from a VNA[10].This means the advantages of having nuclear missiles is weakened because state and military actors are deterred from using nuclear weapons. Ashley J. Tellis backs up this argument brought forward by Mazaar, stating that because of VNA’s, India and Pakistan, two countries with a war-torn history have been deterred from ‘employing nuclear destruction upon one another and mankind’[11], because each state uses VNA’s, showing that virtual nuclear arsenals have suc cessfully helped stop the use of nuclear weapons since 1945.The debate of virtual nuclear arsenals is continued and furthered by theorist John Schell, who looks at how weaponless deterrence limits nuclear action. For Schell no nuclear strikes have occurred because by constructing a nuclear weapon deterrence would persist, and VNA’s could be built to counter nuclear missiles. Schell famously quotes â€Å"Missile deters missile, bomber deters bomber, submarine deters submarine†¦ Factory deters factory, blueprint deters blueprint, equation deters equation. [12] In this sense, weaponless deterrence acts as a good strategic form of defence from nuclear attacks, and further explains why nuclear weapons haven’t been used in conflict since Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Many would now argue that we live in times of a nuclear non-proliferation regime, which is the limitation of nuclear activity, brought forward by the ‘Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty’ (NPT). As man y states oppose nuclear weapons, even states with these weapons are often opposed, the NPT, a treaty with 189 state members acts as a treaty to stop the spread and possible use of nuclear weapons.The treaty was adopted in 1970 and is considered a three pillar system, focusing on non-proliferation, disarmament and the right to peacefully use nuclear technology, and every five years the treaty is reviewed. It’s worth noting that five nuclear states (The USA, Russia, France, The United Kingdom and China), who collectively make up the permanent members UN security council are all signed up to this treaty. The argument could be made that because of the current NPT regime nuclear eapons pose little and limited threat, and instead of owning nuclear technology for possible war and destruction, rather the emphasis of war has been slowed down to focus on technological improvements with nuclear technology, which could explain why nuclear weapons have not been used since 1945. In conclus ion nuclear weapons do pose a serious threat to humanity, but as I’ve outlined because of taboo, and deterrence there are too much political and ethical issues attached. Virtual nuclear arsenals now mean nuclear weapons have a secure hiding place, and the possibility of an unexpected VNA strike is deterring people from using weapons.Others such as Waltz argue that humans and states as are rational and nuclear weapons will be used responsibly, which is the case with the nuclear non-proliferation treaty, but others such as Sagen argue that we can’t trust states with nuclear decision making and our future is going to be compromised by the elite few who will one day exterminate the human race. But with each day that passes, do nuclear weapons still scare people? Maybe the only war nuclear weapons will become prominent once more and the real issue and effects of nuclear weapons will only become important if one is used.The alternatives for peace are already here. No, we can not eliminate nuclear weapons, but with VNA’s the concept of deterrence and taboo, as well as people becoming more rational and aware of the disaster nuclear weapons potentially bring, the safest option, is to hold on to what we have, which is the reminder in Nagasaki and Hiroshima of the damage and destruction that is caused and keep these weapons as a learning tool for the future. Word count: 2079 BIBLIOGRAPHY Gray, C. S. , (2005) ‘Another Bloody Century: Future Warfare’ (London: Weidenfeld & Nicolson)Howlett, Darryl ‘Nuclear Proliferation’ in John Baylis and Steve Smith, The Globalisation of World Politics (Oxford: OUP, 2001, second edition) Kissinger, H. (1994) â€Å"Diplomacy† (New York: Simon & Schuster) Mazarr, Michael J. , (1995) ‘Virtual nuclear arsenals’, Survival 37:3, pp. 7-26 Sagan, S. D. , (1994) ‘The perils of proliferation: organisation, theory, deterrence theory and the spread of nuclear weapons’, Int ernational Security 18(4): 66-107 (E-Journal). Schell, J. , (1984) The Abolition (London: Pan Books) Tannenwald, N. (1999) ‘The Nuclear Taboo: The United States and the Normative Basis of Nuclear Non-use’ International Organization 53(3): 433-48 Tellis, A. J (2001) India's Emerging Nuclear Posture (Santa Monica: RAND) Waltz, K. N. (1981) ‘The Spread of Nuclear Weapons: More May Better’ Adelphi Papers, 171. Available at: http://www. mtholyoke. edu/acad/intrel/waltz1. htm ———————– [1] Howlett, Darryl ‘Nuclear Proliferation’ in John Baylis and Steve Smith, The Globalisation of World Politics (Oxford: OUP, 2001, second edition) [2] Waltz, K. N. (1981) ‘The Spread of Nuclear Weapons: More May Better’ Adelphi Papers, 171.Available at: http://www. mtholyoke. edu/acad/intrel/waltz1. htm [3] Sagan, S. D. , (1994) ‘The perils of proliferation: organisation, theory, deterrence theo ry and the spread of nuclear weapons’, International Security 18(4): 66-107 (E-Journal). [4] Tannenwald, N. , (1999) ‘The Nuclear Taboo: The United States and the Normative Basis of Nuclear Non-use’ International Organization 53(3): 433-48 [5] Tannenwald, N. , (1999) ‘The Nuclear Taboo: The United States and the Normative Basis of Nuclear Non-use’ International Organization [6] Kissinger, H. 1994) â€Å"Diplomacy† (New York: Simon & Schuster) [7] Gray, C. S. , (2005) ‘Another Bloody Century: Future Warfare’ (London: Weidenfeld & Nicolson) [8] Gray, C. S. , (2005) ‘Another Bloody Century: Future Warfare’ (London: Weidenfeld & Nicolson) [9] Mazarr, Michael J. , (1995) ‘Virtual nuclear arsenals’, Survival 37:3, pp. 7-26 [10] Mazarr, Michael J. , (1995) ‘Virtual nuclear arsenals’, Survival 37:3, pp. 29-92 [11] Tellis, A. J (2001) India's Emerging Nuclear Posture (Santa Monica: RAND) [12] Schell, J. , (1984) The Abolition (London: Pan Books)

Interventional MR systems Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Interventional MR systems - Assignment Example The most critical challenges in using this technique have thus been discussed followed by a conclusion. Keywords: Interventional MR, iMRI, intraoperative MRI, MRI, Magnetic Resonance, Operating Room, imaging Table of Contents: Introduction 3 Definition and Classification 3 Classification 5 Safety Considerations 7 Advancements 8 Improved MR scanner 8 Interventional pulse sequencing and adaptive imaging 9 MR compatible instruments, tracking and visualisation 9 Augmented reality introduced in surgical system 11 Challenges 12 Conclusion 14 References 15 Introduction Magnetic resonance or MR techniques are extensively used in the medical world for imaging purpose. Magnetic resonance imaging or MRI is reliable, precise and detailed. Also, advanced MRI implementation can culminate at three dimensional or 3D view of a patient’s tissue system. Previous to the development of interventional MRI or iMRI, most of the existing medical imaging technologies were primarily used for the purpose of diagnostic processes. But MRI proves to be more reliable than even the most advanced technologies like computerised tomography or CT scan (Blanco Sequeiros et al 2005). Therefore, experts are now considering expanded intraoperative usage of MR technologies, and iMRI has become a prime area of research in this field. In this paper, iMRI is defined and classified in a detailed manner. Next, safety considerations are discussed. After that, important advancements in the field of iMRI are discussed. Contextually, challenges in the way of optimizing iMRI are detailed. The paper ends in a concise conclusion. The overall discussions in this paper are focussed on iMRI and the technology of magnetic resonance is elaborated wherever deemed necessary. Definition and Classification Initially, magnetic resonance imaging or MRI was utilised to find out and examine greater intricacies of tissue structure. The primary aim was to understand patient morphology with the help of case specific detail s in furtherance with increase in scientific knowledge. Through the 1990s, research in magnetic resonance instrumentation targeted at finding out new methods to acquire detailed images more rapidly at higher resolutions to harness greater intricacy in understand patient condition and tissue abnormalities. The basic principle of the function of a conventional MRI device is shown in Figure – 1. (Coyne 2013; Brown and Semelke1999) Figure – 1: Basic function of a conventional MRI system (Coyne 2013) So conventional MRI and Interventional MRI (may also be referred to as intraoperative MRI) or iMRI are completely different techniques although the basic technology behind them is the same. MRI is used in a largely stationary environment to meet diagnostic aims. But iMRI aims at not only examining but also treating the abnormal tissues diagnosed or discovered during an operative procedure. Furthermore, iMRI can both guide and improve the treatment process, including procedures in an operation room (OR). (Blanco Sequeiros et al 2005; Lufkin, Gronemeyer, and Seibel 1997) Hushek et al (2008) state that iMRI applications have facilitated development of various improved ancillary devices and techniques that have enriched medical technology and biophysics holistically. For example, continuous research in the field of iMRI led to the invention of advanced pulse sequencing to establish a rapid imaging system with the help of an MR scanner. Furthermore, iMRI

Children Development1 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Children Development1 - Essay Example Childhood development is a stage by stage process that where a child develops the ability to do different things in life as he grows mature. Development just like growth is dependent on the age of the child (Kyla, 2008). A child development can be classified into certain stages of skills development which are: the gross motor here the child learns to use muscle to sit, walk and balance. The fine monitor where a child by using hands is able to eat, play and do other things. Language develops where a child can understand and use the body language in communication. The cognitive skills that include learning, understanding and reasoning. Lastly, the social skill where the child interacts with the family and develops relationship with the family members The respondents were chosen from a group of 8-18 years aged pupils from the primary schools and the secondary school in the Baltimore state. Each group was interviewed separately and comfort was provided to ensure the responses obtained were as natural as possible. Same set of questions were asked to the members of each group in order to determine if there exists any variation and the extent of the variation. Among the questions asked was the name of the respondent. The younger respondent replied in term of only the name while the older respondent replied in that respect in addition to including the gender and the age in years. Secondly they were asked about their preferred sport the younger respondent replied indicating the name of the friend who was preferred in playing while the older respondent include in addition to the sport other variety of sports he would most likely be playing if not his best post. They were also asked about their any other preferred activities and also the ir hobbies. The younger respondent said she liked reading but did not specify the book she also talked of making models of cartoons. Ten older respondent replied the a he liked reading specific genre of books and doping other activities like listening g to music , learning French, and following the football news, he also expressed his emotions towards his friends and parents . Similarly he expressed his hopes for a future career. Results The replies given by these two pupils' shows a variation in the detail given per the question asked. The younger respondent gave less detail and normally answered the questions just with reference to the question asked. The older pupil included some more details in the answer, provided usually giving a diverse background and including some more details which helped the interviewer get a better understanding of the respondent. Additionally, the older pupil expressed his emotions more clearly with clear reason as to why these thoughts are that way. The responses of the older pupil were based on his own self analysis and thoughts rather that including a second party in the response given. Discussions The observations according to Rosenberg were found to apply with regard to the responses given in each question asked. The younger respondents usually answered the questions asked based on their physical features and activities. The answer given to the question on age was definite and a fact. Similarly the replies showed the achievement that pupils have obtained and a specific preference to the pupil. Similarly the younger pupil replies indicated their possessions and their physical attributes. On the other hand the

Malaria Prevention and Treatment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Malaria Prevention and Treatment - Essay Example According to World Health Organization, â€Å"half of the world’s entire population that is approximately 3.3 billion people is at the risk of malaria† (WHO, 2010). This results into two hundred fifty million cases of malaria every year with the majority belonging to the underdeveloped countries. Africa, in particular is highly vulnerable to the disease with 20% of the deaths in children attributed to this disease, which means that roughly every 30 seconds, malaria takes away one young life. What is malaria? Malaria is a â€Å"parasitic disease characterized by high fever, flu-like symptoms, and anemia† (WHO, 29, 2010). It results from a parasite carried from one human to another by the bite of a female mosquito, Anopheles. As the infection transfers, the parasites called sporozoites enter the bloodstream and arrive at the liver where they develop into merozoites and then attack the red blood cells present in the blood. The symptoms of malaria occurs 10 days to a month after the infection strikes the red blood cells but this time span can fluctuate from 8 days to over an year. The symptoms include â€Å"nausea, vomiting, chills, sweating, muscle pains, jaundice, headache, fever, bloody stools, and convulsions† (WHO, 2010). These symptoms are outcomes of anemia, which might follow from the destruction of red blood cells or a surplus of hemoglobin in the blood due to massive breaking of these cells. Not only human to another human, parasite can also transfer from a mother to her unborn baby and by blood transfusions as well. However, the parasite thrives in high temperature, which makes the countries on the equator most vulnerable to the disease. A major challenge is that in some parts of the world mainly Africa, the malarial mosquitoes have developed a strong immunity towards the insecticides, which means that it is getting harder and harder to get rid of them. Worse, the parasites, which attack the cells of

L. Walras Concept of Equilibrium Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

L. Walras Concept of Equilibrium - Assignment Example Prices are quoted in the market for each commodity at each instant of the trading process; b. The traders are price takers and they behave competitively i.e. the existence of perfect competition; and c. For any commodity, any transaction is not allowed to take place out of the equilibrium. According to Walras (1874), considering any particular market, if all other markets in an economy are in equilibrium, then that specific market must also be in equilibrium. Also, the sum of all excess demands and excess supplies (which have both positive and negative values) must be equal to zero. The equilibrium is attained through a process called â€Å"groping† in which each agent calculates its demand for a particular commodity and submits it to an auctioneer. This auctioneer matches the supply and demand of the commodities and tries to reach an equilibrium price. â€Å"Trading stops† at the point where the demand and supply for all the commodities with positive prices equate and demand for goods with a price of zero does not exceed their supply (Walras, 1954). At this point, equilibrium is achieved by the process of Groping. Answer 2 The two actors i.e. households and firms both face the problem of scarcity and choice. In the case of households, they attempt to spend their scarce resources, i.e. income, on those goods and in such a way that gives them the maximum utility. They have to bear the opportunity cost when they forgo the benefit of one commodity to avail the benefit of another. According to the law of diminishing marginal utility, as a person consumes more and more units of a commodity, he obtains less and less amount of satisfaction from every additional unit that he consumes. A point comes when the additional utility even becomes negative. For instance, over-consumption of drinking water is harmful to health According to the  principle; the total utility is maximized when utilities obtained from each of the commodities consumed become equal. (S amuelson, 1939) The firms face the same problem and they want to utilize their scarce resources, i.e. factors of production, in such a way that maximizes their profits. Just like the households, they too have to bear the opportunity cost when they forgo the usage of one factor to avail the benefit of another factor. The law of diminishing returns is similar to the working of the law of diminishing utility according to which as more and more units of a factor are employed with other factors remaining constant, the marginal product diminishes. Similarly, a point comes when the marginal product becomes negative. For instance, a certain number of units of labor can produce effects on a unit of land. More than enough units cause disturbance and disharmony in the working environment. The principle can also be applied to firms. The total product is maximized when marginal products of all the factors employed become equal. (Samuelson, 1939) Therefore, the two actors have to undergo the same processes to achieve their respective objectives. Answer 3 In Marshallian long-period equilibrium, the economies and diseconomies of scale determine whether an industry will be operating under increasing, decreasing or constant returns to scale. When the economies and diseconomies of scale are equal, they cancel each other and there is no net effect on the industry.  

Paraphase 5 abstracts Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Paraphase 5 abstracts - Essay Example The thesis offers an alternative approach to managing freight train schedules in both single and double track railway systems. It explores a scope that previous literature have failed to cover, the rail’s ability to accommodate different levels of demand. Previous literatures also fail to consider alternating tracks in railway stations, crossovers, and delays that trains incur during sidings. The author then proposes a management model that is independent of time but considers the factors that have been ignored by previous researchers. They offer linear programming approach that is based on data from Canada Pacific Railway (Le 1). Abstract 2: Learning approaches for QoS-based web service trust by Mahamad Mehdi Software developers that operate on wide scopes are changing their designs towards computing systems that are open and diversified. The new models focus on developing links among different users and the quality of achieved connectivity is of supreme interest. One of the new designs is Service Oriented Computing. Users of such systems rely on dependence on one another towards realization of business goals that are often similar but have wide scopes. The desired quality of the systems’ interaction however dictates selection of services and the contents of such services, a concept that identifies the need for trust among parties that engage in a network. A user then rates other parties’ trust levels from which services are managed. Based on this interaction model, services that offer more trust assumes higher probabilities of being incorporated in a user’s system. The authors, in an attempt to understand trustworthiness of services through Bayesian inferences and Bayesian Networks, simulates a machine learning task and applies probability concept in analysis. The author also offers a model that is based on Bayesian Network to determine level of trustworthiness of Quality of services in the internet. With test of validity, the rese archers establish that statistical distributions for determining levels of trust of web services are flexible, precise, and are significant to improving the choice and content of a service (Mehdi 1). Abstract 3: Model-driven aspect-oriented software security hardening by Djedjiga Mouheb The scope of software engineering identifies significance of security, a concept that people consider and incorporate after development of software. This means that software developers complete their work without provisions for security and security aspects are fixed later in the software’s lives. The current nature of software environment that is complicated, with a poor directional influence has however facilitated the approach to software security despite its high costs and its effect of reduced security level of a system. This means that security systems are integrated into software but the software remains susceptible to threats. The widely scoped need for security for all software also m eans that each security system is used, diversely, in many features of software. The approach to software security that is also manual is labour intensive and is prone to errors that may further compromise software’s security. An approach to incorporating security systems from software’s earlier stages is therefore necessary and the researchers explore a

Illegal downloading of music and its effects on the industry Research Paper

Illegal downloading of music and its effects on the industry - Research Paper Example This "Illegal downloading of music and its effects on the industry" essay describes how the invention of the Internet and the growth of illegal music downloading and file sharing changed music market. Despite being a lucrative business, on average, Verderber, Verderber and Sellnow highlight that musicians earn peanuts annually with no additional benefits. This irony emerges from the fact that some other people infringe or steal and distribute copyrighted music illegally thereby decreasing the music sales. In their argument, music companies state that free and unlimited downloading of music has led to the violation of their rights. These industries suffer lose not only in terms of money but also in effort and time. Apart from individuals, record stores also contribute to the menace of promoting illegal music download. The record stores benefit through selling ad space on their walls and gain profits. Such profits play a significant role of paying musicians for their work thereby reduc ing incurred expenses. Additional arguments by the music companies reveal that burnt CDs containing favorite songs by the consumers cost a great deal of money since each CD would only contain (a) particular song(s) (Essaylib para3). For the musicians, recording contracts include obtaining advances and loyalties from recording companies. Advances are provided to musicians prior to the recording releasing. In the case of the recording earning sufficient money, the recording company recovers its money for the advance paid out. Conversely, little music sales mean the recording company has to call off the loss. In order to avoid loses, recording companies are forced to offer lower advances to musicians and fire some of their employees to cut down costs like in BMG and Sony music. In terms of loyalties, artists are paid for each song

AMERICAN HISTORY SINCE 1900 Assignment One Essay

AMERICAN HISTORY SINCE 1900 Assignment One - Essay Example He never looks up towards the heavenly things that are placed before him. He is offered a crown of jewels and a place in Paradise, but he will not stop for a moment to look up from his decidedly earthly labors to consider the benefit of the riches offered to him. In the novel, Bunyan used the character to symbolize those that are trapped in the most mundane and unpleasant aspects of earthly existence. He used the Man with the Muck Rake as a type and a warning to those who become too absorbed in the worldly to contemplate the heavenly. President Roosevelt’s remarks indicate that he felt the muckrakers of his time had their place in the world and that they served a useful purpose in society. He indicated that he believed that all evil should be exposed at all times. He mentioned that he supported the dogged pursuit of evil men by the just that would shed light on their evil deeds. So in some ways, it appears as though the muckrakers had the tacit approval of the president. But t he very name casts doubt on the amount that President Roosevelt really believed the muckrakers could help. The name, based on its origins, indicates a person or people that are very good at one thing and one thing only. They are dedicated to seeing only the basest of worldly pursuits. The name also seems to indicate that he felt the muckrakers were individuals of limited vision. They were, in essence, so busy raking muck that they never could bring themselves to look about at all of the good that was happening around them. They were more interested in seeing abuse and scandal at every turn than they were in reporting or commenting on things as they really were. This attitude towards the muckrakers seems to indicate that President Roosevelt did not believe that all of the reforms the muckrakers supported needed to result in legislation on in strict regulations on industry. In the case of the meat packing industry, he seems to be holding reform as a threat over the head of the industr y leaders. In essence, he is saying that if you don’t clean yourselves up you will destroy your own business and exports of your own products. Regulate your own affairs or they will be regulated for you. History shows that the industry did not regulate itself, resulting in the Meat Inspection Act of 1906 (Coles, 510). Part of the reason the President was so supportive of this piece of legislation is it was greatly demanded by the public. Work Cited Bunyan, John, and James Henderson Thomas. Pilgrims's Progress in Modern English. Chicago: Moody, 1964. Print. 7 Coles, Jessie V. The Consumer-buyer and the Market. New York: Arno, 1978. Print. 510 The events leading to World War I were largely the result of a system of reciprocal treaties that bound one country to enter a conflict if their allies were threatened. Like dominoes falling, on country after another entered the war after the assignation of the heir of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. The Austro-Hungarian Empire declared war on Serbia. Germany was duty bound to support the Empire because of a mutual assistance treaty. But on the other hand, Russia, France, Great Britain and eventually Italy entered as allies against the Germans and Austrians. If everyone was to honor their obligations to the others, then everyone had to fight. The United States was committed to remaining neutral during the conflict. This was a position that was very popular in the United States and actually helped

Animal Rights Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 5

Animal Rights - Research Paper Example Another group argues that the criterion of having rationality and consciousness should not be the sole basis against animal-testing; rather the fact that every animal suffers from pain is strong enough to ban animal-testing. Obviously, this contra-animal-testing group fails to perceive that a firm and steadfast opposition against animal-test is as harmful as the view of ‘animal as thing’ is. For example, whereas a scientific experiment on animal could save thousands of man and animals lives, ban on animal-testing may destroy the possibility of living a healthy and disease free life. Therefore, though animals have the rights to live a pain-free life, such rights can be repealed for the sake of the humanity’s betterment. Moreover, any ethical perspective on animal-rights must include human’s interest in animal. Otherwise, any attempt to view animals as self-independent beings and detached from humanity must fail to bring about good for humankind as well as an imal. The origin of the arguments for animal-testing can be traced in Biblical affirmation. The â€Å"Book of Genesis† asserts that Man has a divine right over the animal kingdom. It says that man’s dominion over the animal kingdom is divine, as the â€Å"Book of Genesis† says that God has given Adam dominion over â€Å"the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.† (Francione, 1996, p. 45) Such biblical evidence necessarily infers that man can use animals for his own happiness and comfort. Therefore, if animal-testing can bring something good to humankind, then it is thoroughly permissible. Indeed, the utilitarian perspective seems to dominate the pro-animal-test arguments. The pro-animal-test debaters argue that animals can serve as good specimens for medical experiments. Even some animals such as rats, dogs, frogs and many others are efficient replic as

White House Essay Example for Free

White House Essay

Why Should We Teach Shakespeare English Language Essay

Why Should We Teach Shakespeare English Language Essay The writings of Shakespeare play an important part of the heritage of the English literature which sends us the moral obligation to teach Shakespeare. Constructed by critical approach, the narrow, elitist hierarchy of texts written by Shakespeare, which was considered as the apex as a touchstone of excellence to protest to match inferior productions, are now a remote view, quite different from the great variety and richness of human experience in the arts. However, personal sense of works should be encouraged to communicate with many people by sharing celebration, accessing to tradition of communal dramatic experience, not as the key to ivory tower. Language of Shakespeare contains not only specific historical and cultural context, but also introduces all kinds of linguistic development by widening the way of seeing and thinking. Besides, our language, concept, and perception can be enriched by coping with his language. As a teaching aid, Shakespeares innovative use of vocabulary helps show children how to use the language they are born with better than a bland textbook, even when used without this aim in mind. Children should be encouraged to access to Shakespeare, and since parents seem to be too lazy to read to their children any more, it must be the place of school to offer this education. His dramatic and lyric poetry speaks powerfully and directly to the belief of the essential poetry in education. The idea that good poetry is deep, rich, obscure, and complex is sometimes promoted by textual analysis. Readers of Shakespeares poetry will find depth in simplicity, wisdom, or tragic mode. Dr. Johnson (1765) considers Shakespeare as a poet of Nature who filled his plays with practical axioms and domestic wisdom by his universal sympathies. Shakespeare treated his characters in action a depth and various insights that can sharpen our self-knowledge and knowledge of human condition which bring us context to test out our potential for good or ill in private reflection when discussing with others. In the field of drama and theatre, scripts of Shakespeares plays provide us full range of practical activity, workshop improvisation and mime which is based on different moments or themes to full-scale public performance. Students from primary school onwards can experience through the formal and narrative structures, as well as the language of plays and poetry of Shakespeare. From this, deeper understanding his texts can be raised higher to each level. The texts in Shakespeares works are open to explore the way in which apparently settled notions of kingship, order, harmony, nobility, and social class and gender are threatened by unresolved forces. Difficulties and challenges in teaching Shakespeare are the opportunities. Shakespeare is the cultural treasure not only of England but also the world. An education in England cannot ignore the vast cultural wealth of our country. For too long England have lost pride in its national icons and allowed nationalists to reclaim them as their own. Keeping control of the powerful icons such as Shakespeare is a tool for integration. Shakespeare has enlightened the lives of the people of this country for 500 years, and for good reason. His poetry and drama represent the pinnacle of the English language, and influences the way we speak today. It is a beautiful body of work, ranging from comedy to tragedy, murder to hatred, treating difficult subjects brilliantly. If we are to remain proud of the history of this country, we cannot ignore the contribution made by this one man to our culture, and wider European culture. Shakespeare made his name here, but has been read by an audience far beyond the reaches of this sceptred isle (Shakespeare: Richard II, 2.i). Shakespeare is also the cultural integration. Many people are worried about an upcoming generation of immigrants that do not identify themselves as British, while living in Britain and paying taxes to the British government. Culture is a key tool in integration; if you can share a cultural identity, you can share other values and bring the wider community together. Teaching Shakespeare, a bastion of British culture, in schools to this end is far better than forcing citizenship ceremonies and oaths of allegiance on children. It is not forceful, but creates a sense that they are part of a country with a long and proud history, willing to integrate new communities into its growth. Shakespeare was way ahead of his time. Many of his characters and situations are modern day and relate to us. Also, his plays and poetry show us things about ourselves that other pieces of literature often cant. The mastermind himself has invented a whole new phase of the English language. To this date, we all use words which directly or indirectly have their origins in Shakespeares works. Also, many movies are being made on his works which has further generated an interest in the Bard. They are even applicable to todays 21st century. There are still Macbeths, Othello, Julius Caesars and others in the society. Its just that their lifestyle has become more advanced, more tech-savvy and dressed differently. Its just that their lifestyle has become more advanced, more tech-savvy and dressed differently. Shakespeare is a pro at deciphering the human emotions and the working of the mind. One can also see his works from a psychological point of view and identify with some of the characters . It might also give an insight to the students who are learning about it and give a better view of the real world as opposed to seeing the world through rose-tinted glasses. II. Recent Shakespeare teaching in schools Generally, teaching and learning in schools have been transformed radically during the last twenty-five years. Learning process is now emphasized within different contexts, oral, as well as valuable written outcomes, active modes of learning, such as: role-play, group discussion, and independent learning). The development of media studies encourages extending the range of linguistic and visual experiences. Literature, in this stream, is no longer perceived as the central study in English, but one of a range of possibilities. Not only competing for time with other literature, Shakespeare also fights with the role of English as a support subject across the curriculum. Shakespeare studies in schools have got many fruitful developments, in which there are two significant ones: the growth of practical drama work through workshop and Theatre-in-Education, and plain text examinations. The pioneers of the first fruit are Henry Caldwell Cook (1917) and Beacock (1943) who established the mummery in Perse School, Cambridge, and were seminal influences on teaching through drama. It was not until in the late 1960s when the growth of educational drama introduced Shakespeare into the teaching in state schools with possible way of grouping students into 4 or 5 member resident companies who are responsible a certain part given by teacher to discuss and perform before evaluation of the whole class. Plain text examinations are given particularly to O level by providing the text in the examination room shifting students to respond by using their own words. III. Teaching Shakespeare in England With many young people, Shakespeare play is just a story with fixed values to be learned, rather than the dramatically dynamic, emotionally shifting and unstable play text which it really is. There are still many classes where students sit at their desks experience by reading through a Shakespeare play. Nothing startling, but a few right ingredients were there with enthusiastic teaching, playing the text, and seeing a performance. Many people leaving school along with the thinking of the most unbelievable and unutterable rubbish to ever hear about Shakespeares plays. Ted Wragg, one of the most well-respected and well-loved educationalists of Britain agreed that there was nothing but doing Shakespeare, rather than reading if someone wants to let children access the power of Shakespeares words. 1. Pre-national Curriculum Beginning of the twentieth century sees the secondary education becoming compulsory and English taking its prestige value from the Classics. Along this, attitudes to Shakespeare were very much influenced by nationalist pride. William Shakespeare, whose timeless characters and portrayed universal values in his plays define our humanity, was reversed as the greatest poet of all time. Shakespeare, in the post enlightenment age when art was considered as the human surrogate for religion (Peter Widdowson, 1981), was like the apex of high culture which was the target for Victorian belief of a better person if exposing to it. Richard Adams (1985), despite decrying the static of Shakespeare, comments that most students still respect Shakespeare although they get bored to tears by reading incomprehensive words if his plays. In the first half of twentieth century, Shakespeares plays were read around class only, which was the main topic for the influential critics such as: AC Bradleys character -based criticism, LC Knights journal Scrunity, and critics like Tillyard, Wilson Knight and Leavis whose concepts of an ordered Elizabethan world helped transmit clear cultural values in Shakespeares plays to us. This tradition of criticism the liberal humanist took the plays in the view of literature rather than drama and influenced a long life in secondary schools. However, on the other side, different views on seeing the plays as the performance texts also existed. Founded in 1906, The English Association suggested in its first pamphlet publications The Teaching of Shakespeare in Schools how to study Shakespeares plays: It is desirable that all the Shakespeare chosen for study should be read aloud in class. The living voice will often give a clue to the meaning, and reading aloud is the only way of ensuring knowledge of the metre. In a class of beginners the teacher must take a liberal share of the reading, but the pupils should be brought into play. They can be cast for some of the parts; the forum scene in Julius Caesar comes one step nearer the dramatic if the teacher is Anthony and the other parts are distributed and the class transformed into a Roman mob shouting for the will. Many writers on Shakespeare education agreed that it was so dangerous for opening textbooks before students in classrooms but forgetting what drama really meant. This pamphlet also recommended good practice by acting out scenes and seeing performance of the play occasionally. Henry Caldwell Cook (1917) strongly encouraged the case for a theatrical approach to the study of Shakespeare. Under the influence of the liberal humanist tradition in teaching, the trend for drama-based teaching of texts was still calling. A.K Hudson (1954) confirmed the important role of active approaches to teaching Shakespeare in his book Shakespeare and the Classroom for The Society for Teachers of English. He wrote in the introduction of this book: The unsuccessful methods [of teaching Shakespeare] normally display two features: they are non-dramatic and they reflect a tendency to regard school children as textual scholars in embryo. The present book recognises frankly the difficulties which the modern pupil finds in dealing with Shakespeare. It has been written in the belief that the plays can be made intelligible and interesting only if the teaching remains stage-centred. The writer suggests practical advice and ideas on how to work with the plays with 11-18 years old. He believes in the benefits from his ways to students when learning Shakespeare. Government, in this time, also had innovative opinions on teaching Shakespeare, which is illustrated by its document named The Newbolt Report (entitled The Teaching English in England) published in 1921. The report, besides remaining the traditional view of regarding Shakespeare as the greatest English writer, focused on the need for English to be enjoyable and encouraged the use of drama for improving the imagination and empathy. School curriculum in this time is the secret garden where schools decide themselves on how much and what about Shakespeare to teach. Frank Whitehead (1966) and J.W. Patrick Creber (1965) introduced a more pragmatic view on Shakespeare in their two books influential in the teaching of English in the mid 1960s. Despite keeping the point of view of Shakespeare as greatest English wri ter, they see that Shakespeare was really difficult for the majority of students, and wonder the suitability of the study of Shakespeare for young teenagers. Jan Kott (1965) concludes that the attitudes to Shakespeare academic and theatrical world were undergone the revolution. Moreover, universities and theatres ignored the traditional, reverential view of Shakespeares plays. 2. The 1980s In the mid 1980s, independent schools and higher ability streams were the province of Shakespeare studies which, despite of having lost favor with general rank and files of teachers in England, became very much the norm with its performance consciousness. Neil King (1985) suggested that Shakespeare should not be taught below Year 9 because the language is too high and difficult to attempt. He chose Macbeth and Henry V instead of the full of violence and hatred in Romeo and Juliet to deal with thirteen-year-old students. John F Andrews writes in the Teaching Shakespeare a special edition produced by American Shakespeare Quarterly in 1984: A decade ago performance-oriented pedagogy was relatively unfamiliar among Shakespeareans and was anything but universally accepted as the wave of the future. Now it is difficult to find a dissenting voice: virtually everybody acknowledges the need to approach Shakespeares plays as dramatic rather than literary works. The only real question seems to be just how to put the new consensus into practice. Also in this edition, Kenneth Muir, in his essay Teaching Shakespeare: the wrong way or the right, affirms that the most effective and only legitimate way to study Shakespeares plays in schools is to turn the lessons into a rehearsal. Late 1980s and early 1990s sees the clash of view over the position of Shakespeare in education between the left wing cultural materialist academics and the right wing guardians of cultural heritage. 1980s was the period of critical theories which opened up academic Shakespeare study. The Feminist and Cultural Materialist got the most influential on Shakespeare teaching. Bardolatry, which had built up around Shakespeare at seemed to be out of time and a repository of universal truth, was strongly attacked by Cultural Materialism. In 1980s, context to the plays in textbooks dealing with Shakespeare were increasingly adapted. Besides, educationalists who were already working with such ideas were provided a theoretical underpinning by the academics. Opposite the awareness of cultural, historical and other contextual influences which is embedded as part of examination requirements along with the awareness of literary heritage of these days, summer 1993 came what the Observer called The Battle of the Bard which saw John Major, at his Party Conference, railed against 500 academics who had written a letter protesting against the Governments policies on literature teaching in which the introduction of Shakespeare was compulsory at Key Stage 3. While the academics view of the policies was like an ill-thought-through elitist imposition of a death white man, it was, with the party members, the chance for moral fibre of all right-minded inhabitants of this sceptred isle to be strengthened. Meanwhile, teachers shrugged and tried to get on with their daily teaching tasks. Luckily, in the stream of this chaos, Dr Rex Gibson, the English greatest Shakespearean educationalist, was building an oasis of sense for some teachers with quiet achieving great success of his invaluable research in project Shakespeare in schools started in 1986. Gibsons team, working from the Cambridge Institute of Education, produced a termly the newsletter named Shakespeare and Schools which is as a support for the teaching of Shakespeare, containing quotes, articles, information, and writings by teachers on their direct experiences with Shakespeare in Primary and Secondary schools. Gibson introduced his fruitful result by using active and flexible approaches to the plays to involve every student of any age to appreciate Shakespeare: In total, our research reveals an encouraging picture. Teachers increasingly report success as they employ a variety of methods, at the heart of which is social collaborative, imaginative, re-creative activities. Such methods deepen and enhance students informed personal responses. First appeared in 1991, Gibsons school editions of plays provides a wealth of practical ideas facing with each page of text. They soon became popular in every English stock-cupboard and the compulsory study of Shakespeare in Key Stage 3. Moreover, his book, Teaching Shakespeare (1998) became the favorite of many new and experienced teachers alike. In the early 1990s, Royal Society of Arts (RSA) project also conveyed the same spirit of how to make Shakespeare accessible in the origin to all age groups from 5 upwards by using well prepared, exciting, and enjoyable teaching and learning approaches. The project, in the echo of Gibsons work, tried to counter the idea of Shakespeare as a bogeyman whose works are so difficult, irrelevant, and inaccessible. RSA introduced a more practical, fun approach to replace the scholarly one, which allows teachers and students to develop skills, knowledge and sharing ideas. In the same purpose, Shakespeare and Schools project, the work of Royal Shakesp eare Company (RSC), National Theatre, and Globe education departments, involved enormously the development of teaching and learning Shakespeare with new approaches. 3. The National Curriculum From 1976, the quality of state education and a great deal of discussion about the curriculum were questioned but most ideas were still theoretical and generalized. Despite broadly mentioned in Curriculum Matter 1, a document of Department of Education and Science, published in 1984, there was still unclear way of how much, which work(s) of Shakespeare, which age of students to teach Shakespeare. Having initiated plans for National Curriculum (NC) of predecessor, Keith Joseph, Kenneth Baker, as Secretary of State for Education in May 1986, was determined to change and create specific requirements for all school children. He got his goal and opened the door of opportunity in 1987 by tying up all the details for NC. He clearly believed that Shakespeare should be a compulsory author to study for having cultural and intellectual cachet. Nigel Lawson, in an interview with The Guardian, in September 1983, summed that Shakespeare was a Tory without any doubt. Shakespeare, in the view of Tor ies, is as the bastion of British culture and values, a stable enduring symbol of Englishness in a shifting world. In September 1992, the Conservative view was stated clearly by John Patten, then Education Secretary: It is essential that pupils are encouraged to develop an understanding and appreciation of our countrys literary heritage. Studying the works of Shakespeare is central to that development. That is why the study of Shakespeare is an explicit requirement of the National Curriculum. This point of view alienated many teachers and academics who did not support the compulsory Shakespeare study. They still questioned the values about class and women in the writings of this white man, and denied students access to a man who is generally regarded as the worlds greatest playwright but simply reverse snobbery. From autumn 1989, the National Curriculum was introduced progressively. It begins with unspecific state that pupils should learn some of Shakespeares works. Besides, a new battle of the Bard began in September 1990 when SATs, a kind of Scholastic Assessment Test, were first embarked to Year 7 students on the English NC program. The Cox Report, English for Ages 5-16, in 1989, mentioned the implication of drama-based methods for teaching Shakespeare: In particular, every pupil should be given at least some experience of the plays or poetry of Shakespeare. Whether this is through the study, viewing or performance of whole plays or of selected poems or scenes should be entirely at the discretion of the teacher. The report continued on the comment of Gibsons Shakespeare and Schools project that secondary students received wide range of abilities to find Shakespeare meaningful, accessible and enjoyable from the project which also replaced traditional methods of reading desk-bound students by exciting, enjoyable approaches. The place of Shakespeare in NC is also validated in this report: Many teachers believe that Shakespeares work conveys universal values, and that his language expresses rich and subtle meanings beyond that of any other English writer. Other teachers point out that evaluations of Shakespeare have varied from one historical period to the next and they argue that pupils should be encouraged to think critically about his status in the canon. But almost everyone agrees that his work should be represented in a National Curriculum. Shakespeares plays are so rich that in every age they can produce fresh meanings and even those who deny his universality agree on his cultural importance. In 1995, as the information in the Dearing Report, a new slimmed-down version of NC was given to schools, which stated that at least two Shakespeare plays should be taught during the Key Stage 3 and 4. 4. The SATs Early 1990s, Shakespeare was added on Paper 2 of the Key Stage 3 SATs examinations, which went along with the fact that all Year 9 students had to study 3 plays of Shakespeare: Romeo and Juliet, Julius Caesar, and A Midsummers Night Dream. The questions in exam were traditionally literary, based on the set scenes of the plays. Students were required to answers the questions as well as writing their response in 1 hour 15 minutes. Both reading and writing skills were required. However, the questions were still in the form that regards an audience member as a reader rather than a witness at a place. For example, the question relating to Act 1 Scene 3 of Julius Caesar: At this point in the play do you support the conspirators? Or the question relating to Act 1 Scene 5 of Romeo and Juliet: How are moods of excitement, romance and danger created during the scene? How do they affect the audiences feelings about Romeo and Juliet at this point in the play? A better question that allows students to give more interpretive response is the one relating to Act 3 Scene 1 of A Midsummers Night Dream: If you were directing the scene, what would you tell the actors to help them bring out the comedy? However, this paper was boycotted by the majority of schools in the trend of boycott the English Key Stage 3 SATs because teachers and students felt that the paper was so quick to be adequately prepared. In 1995, the first year of national tests for all Year 9 students, SATs were deigned to be as inoffensive although the format was the same. The questions tried to put students into characters behavior in the set scene or characters place, and then asked students to writes a letter or diary as that character. In the next years, most questions were largely character-based. 2003 sees another battle when the ideas of Estelle Morris vetoing a QCA (Qualifications and Curriculum Authority) recommendation of reducing the test to 45 minutes and checking reading skill only. The set plays were Twelfth Night, Macbeth and Henry V, each of which was put in a separate paper within two questions to be answered in 1 hour and 15 minutes. This new version also got so many complaints the QCA had to do a survey of teachers on how to change the paper into the best way. Because of having not enough time to change, 2004 version got the same format of paper and the problems were compounded further. The negative stress factor caused by SATs was highlighted in the Report on KS3 English Review of Service Delivery failure 2003-2004 to QCA Board. 30/09/04 that the test results of school-level key stage 3 had significant impact on school with the potential affect on teachers careers. 2005s Paper 2 was also considered as a disaster. Shakespeare in 2005, 2006 was assessed by student s who would answer one question which possessed 18% of the total English papers. The question based on the set play and required 45 minutes to respond. Since 2009, following the public consultation, only two plays Romeo and Juliet, and The Tempest have been chosen as the set texts for SATs. For Key Stage 3, the NAA suggests four plays Romeo and Juliet, As You Like It, A Midsummers Night Dream, and Julius Caesar should be on a rolling program of plays. 5. Key Stage 4 Exams In 1960s and 1970s, Shakespeare was the unique compulsory author in the old O-Level English Literature syllabus which required the study of three texts: A Shakespeare play, a novel and some poetry. It was free for the boards to choose texts from any period, although in practice, the texts were in the trend of drawing from Great Tradition. Differently, 1980s came the boards withdrawing away from the Great Tradition and compulsory Shakespeare. O-Level texts no longer insert plays or poetry. Therefore, students could escape from plays or poetry all together, and left school without having studied Shakespeare at all. The three genres: poetry, prose and drama were recovered by the introduction of GCSE supplanting the O-Level and CSE syllabuses for first examination in 1988, but the study of Shakespeare was placed in the discretion of the teacher. Some schools chose coursework with 100% mark or took chance to do some interesting assignments on Shakespeare. However, when adding both Shakespeare and a modern text, for example Forsyths Gregorys Girl, while most teachers were trying to convey the lessons in mixed-ability groups, many opted not to bother Shakespeare. In 1994, Shakespeare returned the only compulsory author on the Literature syllabuses when the Key Stage 4 program of study which was set out in the 1991 National Curriculum, came into force. In 1995, the exam boards required the texts be compared and contrasted, and be shown social and historical contexts, which became the hints for teachers to set discussions the relevance between texts social and historical contexts and today ones. Since 1999, GCSE English Language has required the study of a Shakespeare play to meet the requirement of NC that a play should be studied at Key Stage 4. Regardless the ability, for the first time, all students had to study a Shakespeare play for their important 16+ exam in English. Shakespeares works are still the industry standard of literature, teaching Shakespeare in England has been innovative to update and create new approaches for a wider and deeper view on his social, historical contexts and humanity. Teachers and students play important keys to make Shakespeare lifelong.

Barclays Bank SWOT Analysis

Barclays Bank SWOT Analysis Barclays was started by the British Empire and it characterizes as the British banking from twentieth century. Barclays appeared as the largest bank of Britain in 1950. Due to the ferocious competition in 1980 and because of its lending policies Barclays banking became imprudent. Later on Barclays built its empire in 50 countries. Innovation and adoption of good marketing strategies leaded the Barclays as one of the largest banks all around the world. Main objective of Barclays is to give value to the customers and clients. Barclays has employed almost 135,000 workers in 50 countries. It offers devoted services to small and medium businesses. Barclays income before tax is approximately 7 billion. This profit returns shows the good portfolio management of business. Services that are providing by bank are unique and innovative. Ambition of Barclays is to become one of the leading banks in all over the world and to provide the services to the financial industry globally. Meaning thereby, providing full and innovative retail and wholesale services to the customers. Barclays strategy focuses on the identification of needs of customers and then providing them services accordingly. Barclays follows the principle of making profit, investing that profit and hence growing. BARCLAYS SWOT ANALYSIS Strengths Strength of the company is taken as the internal element. The strength factor represents and focuses those elements within the company that become the strong points of that pertaining company. Barclays is founded in 1896 and it is enjoying benefits from the strong penetration exists in the banking industry. Barclays is providing its services in 50 different countries. Barclays group is one of the leading and rapidly growing groups in the world. Main strength of Barclays is that in banking sector and by asset base it is the third largest bank. And in market capitalization perspective it is third largest bank in United Kingdom. Barclays has the wide customers base and strong growth base in all over the world. Barclays networking for the distribution is very strong and it has multi-channels available for distribution networking. Branches, automatic teller machines, online banking services, on phone banking services and its relationship managers are all considered as its sources and channels of networking. Barclays workers and employees are more innovative and are more passionate towards their work. One of the strength factors of the bank is its operational efficiency. Physical and financial resources available to banks are very good. Its operations are well diversified. Barclays diversified operations include the retail banking, consumer lending, home financing, lending to small and medium enterprises, corporate banking, banking in investments and asset management. Barclays was the first bank that launched and introduced the credit cards in United Kingdom and till then Barclays brand name has embedded in the minds of the customers. Strong brand name has become the strength of the Barclays bank now. Bank has carried out its operations in credit card line with the help of the sponsorship that was provided by the English premier league. Financial performance of Barclays bank is very good. It takes help of technology for improving its banking services as it gives response electronically to the queries of clients. Barclays provides innovative financial services to the clients by using the information technology. It is providing online security so that thefts and frauds will be prevented. For this security Barclays bank is using different software. Fraud cases will be avoided by using the software. Barclays bank is geographically diversified bank and it performs its business operations in different countries. Branches of Barclays are widely spread in all over the worlds. Bank takes the benefit from the geographical diversification and it spreads its risks widely across the countries and gets advantage of the economies of scales. Opening of new branches of Barclays bank and renovation of the branches in different countries will attract the clients and will enhance and boost the performance of Barclays banks. Barclay applies different marketing tools like product mix and gives importance to the services that are provided to clients and hence focuses more on the customer relationship management. Weaknesses Weaknesses are the internal factor of the company. Company is affected adversely because of the presence of these elements. Company should try to eradicate these negative factors in order to enhance its business performance. Impairment charges in Barclays bank are very high. These charges occur due to the impairments of loans, more chances of bankruptcy and poor loan recovery management. Bank efforts for the recovery of loan from businesses and credit cards are not good. Barclays brand image has affected a lot by the unethical activities and wrong promotion of bank through advertisement. Barclays was also fined for these unhealthy and adverse promotions. More controversies and questions arouse due to that brand image. Due to this deteriorating and bad brand image, Barclays performance has affected a lot. Investors give more importance to the ethical issues and after these unhealthy activities many investors drew their investments back from the bank. Banks capital ratio is less than the average industry ratio. Bank can face difficulty in the case of financial crises due to this low capital ratio. Due to the inefficiency of operations, bank has low return on assets and less profit margins. Moreover Barclays cost on income is more as compare to other banks. More cost income ratio of bank represents the inefficiency of the business operations of the bank. Barclays failed to cope up with the integration between information technology, business processes and brand. It did not gain success in the planned synergies and outcomes. Barclays has fewer branches in the region of Asia. Banking industry is emerging and growing in Asia. Barclays did not take these openings in account and this is considered to be the strategic negligence of the bank. Bank can avail opportunity by opening the branches in Asian countries. Bank is paying large bonuses and incentives to its directors and this has become the source of criticism. Banks dividend policy is less attractive to the investors and as Barclays is paying fewer dividends to its investors. Banks marketing strategy is not up to the mark and people are less aware of the bank due to the absence of marketing campaigns and promotions. Barclays are paying less consideration towards the adoption of the modern technology and equipments. Sales promotions of Barclays are not striking the customers attention they need to be improved. Opportunities Opportunities are external factor for the company. As the name indicates this element identifies the opportunities available in the market for the company. Company can gain competitive edge on other companies by availing and utilizing the opportunities available to it. Numerous opportunities are available to Barclays due to the increase trend of globalization. Banks are performing their operations globally and Barclays can take benefit from this positive outlook of globalization. With the growth of the global banking industry Barclays being the leading and well positioned financial institution can exploit the financial market by expanding its deposit base. Barclays can take advantage of emerging economies by strengthening its positions in the retail and commercial banking operations in those growing economies. Diverse opportunities for the growth of revenues are available in United Kingdom for Barclay. Trend of corporate lending is also increasing and Barclays can exploit this opportunities by giving more loans to corporate sector. Operational efficiency of Barclays can be increased by applying the good asset management principles. Increase in mergers, acquisitions and renovations in banking industry give the positive opening to banks. Barclays can utilize this opportunity as investment banking industry is expected to expand and it can increase its operating cash flows by making acquisitions. Due to off shoring of financial institutions cost of investment has decreased. Banks are opening their branches in those countries that are less costly to obtain the cost efficiencies. Barclays can fortify its working in Asian banking industries like in Indian market in order to achieve the cost efficiencies and to gain more profit and return margins. Objective of Barclays is to provide the good services to customer worldwide. This objective provides lots of opportunities to Barclays like cross-selling its products across many countries. Barclays can exploit, expand its branches, avail opportunities and set its operation in the Asian banking industry. Barclays can use high tech-technology by adding more websites that contains sufficient information of Barclays banking. Provision of welfare is also ceased in those countries where the cost to the government has increased but Barclays can make use of the trend of provision by itself. Barclays can attract more investors by formulating good dividend policies and by providing good returns to the shareholders. Use of good marketing strategy like product mix enhances the efficiency of the business and Barclays can use the tools and techniques of good marketing strategies for grabbing the customers attention. Barclay can also take hold of other banks customer by providing good services that conforms to the need of the customer. Cost efficiencies can be gained by Barclays through the opening of branches in the low cost locations like in Asian countries. Integration of business processes with the information technology can provide more synergy and success to the bank. Barclays can strengthen its brand image by conducting more marketing campaigns, advertisements and promotions. Threats Threats are also the external element of the company. Threat factor in the SWOT analysis diverts the attention of the company towards the pertaining risks in market. Company has to avoid these threats by taking precautionary measures against them. Financial markets have become volatile in recent few years. This financial threat affects the investment opportunities in markets. Investors are hesitant to invest in financial institutions due to the financial volatility. Barclays revenues from investments are also affected by this unstable market behavior. Interest rates fluctuations discourage the consumer to take the services of credit cards. When interest rate fluctuates rapidly then consumer becomes conservative and does not take the credit card borrowings. Barclays credit card facilities are also affected by these fluctuations as many consumers are not availing the credit card borrowings now. Barclays has also threat from other foreign banks as these banks can take high proportion and percentage of the total assets within the banking industry and can decrease the market shares of Barclays bank. Barclays has to face many challenges before acquiring the similar size bank or institution as it has failed to acquire the Royal bank of Scotland and there are chances due to this reason that workers of Barclays bank will resist the integration and acquisition of bank. Internet and online banking frauds are increasing with the increase in the awareness of the technology. These frauds are done through system hacking, emails and through telephonic calls. Barclays can suffer a lot from this threat in future. Barclays can be sued as it is famous of making wrong investments from its deposits and from other investments. Barclays has to give proper consideration towards these decisions in future. Bank can go in the state of bankruptcy if these wrong investments decisions of Barclays will continue in the future. More threats are present to bank due to the vicious competition in the banking industry as customers can go to other banks for the same product because of the other banks specialized approach. Customers are demanding more innovative products and it has become difficult for the bank to cope up with these rapid innovations. Bank has to go for online products and different products mix for gaining the customers attention towards its products. Expansion of branches in Asian countries seems to be risky for Barclays and this situation depicts that other financial institutions in banking industry are in more strong positions than Barclays. Barclays is also facing threats from investment as Barclays dividend policy is least attractive to the investors and it is not giving good dividends to investors on their shares. Barclays can face difficulty in gaining the investors attention if it will not amend its dividend policy. Barclays can face threat in terms of its customer service from other competitors like if competitors are advertising their customer services and their care about the customers then Barclays can lose it customers and to retain the customers Barclays has to provide higher level of services than its competitors. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS Barclays is one of the largest financial service groups in United Kingdom. Barclays image has become imprudent due to its ineffective policy structure. It was founded in 1896. In market capitalization perspectives and asset base it is third largest bank in United Kingdom. Barclays has good availability of human and financial resources. Barclays has launched and introduced the credit cards first time in United Kingdom. Launching of credit card has embedded the good brand image of Barclays in all over the world. Barclays networking of distribution channels are very strong. Banks branches, online banking services and its customer relationship management are considered as its networking sources. Bank has branches in different countries so it can take benefit of diversifications and can spread its risks widely across these countries. Barclays can take advantage from acquisitions and mergers and can increase its operating cash flows. By off shoring Barclays can gain and enjoy the benefit of cost efficiencies. This cost efficiencies can be availed by opening branches in low cost locations like in Asian countries. Barclays should improve its loan recovery management and should reduce the chances for the loans impairments. Bank should pay heed on its advertisement as its brand image has affected a lot by adverse promotions. Banks should improve its asset management operations and its profit margin ratio. Dividend policy of Barclays in not efficient and its dividend payout ratio is not good. Investors demand good return on their investments and if they do not get good dividends then there is large probability that they will draw out their investments bank. Also sales promotions of Barclays are not grabbing the customer attentions. Barclays investment opportunities have adversely affected due to the high volatility in financial markets. Investors are taking out their money from market due to interest rates rapid fluctuations. Barclays revenues are also affected by this market volatility. Barclays should make use of high and more innovative technologies as fraud cases in banking industry is increasing. Barclays should improve its strategic decisions because it is famous of making wrong investments. Bank can suffer a great loss due to these wrong investment decisions. Bank should provide more innovative products and good services to customers. It should give more importance on the customer relationship management for the retention of loyal customers.

Religion and Science in the Parable of the Unjust Steward :: Christianity Religious Scientific Essays

ABSTRACT: The Parable of the Unjust Steward should be interpreted allegorically, its literal interpretation shown to be impossible. Certain facts make this parable unique: a lord as the Lord; divine possessions; the symbolism of the house interpreted as a human being; the material principles of the world understood as the governor of a human being; the Lord’s debtors as spiritual teachers of various kinds; theological doctrines with their own theogonic and cosmogonic views, all claiming to know the truth in its wholeness. Their debts consist of their misunderstandings and errors which have caused the difference between them and truth. Examples of the part of the material principles of the world in correcting theological doctrines are adduced. Two different kinds of debt are considered. I conclude that ‘make to yourselves friends of the riches of unrighteousness’ means that the material reasons of the world, the wisdom of this age, must be used for the good of spir itual teachings. The subject I am going to approach may at first glance seem not to belong at all to the subject of the current session. However we shall see that the subsequent material has the most immediate connection to the theme of philosophy of religion. The question is of the Parable of the Unjust Steward. Before I begin the interpretation itself, let me remark that this parable is a text unique with respect to its isolation from the rest of the texts of the Bible. For in all of Scripture there is not even the slightest reference to this parable. And the Parable of the Unjust Steward has remained in the darkness of misunderstanding not only after the first glance, but even after the thousandth one. No exegete has ever been able to give an interpretation which is free of internal and other contradictions. This fact also makes this parable unique. So much for the rule declaring that closer an interpreter to the time of Scripture better is his chance to penetrate into the mystery of it, which lies at the base of the habit of magnifying the opinions of the Church Fathers. It will not be out of place here to recall the words of Maimonides: "a story which is repugnant to both reason and common sense ... contains a profound allegory ... and the greater absurdity of the letter, the deeper the wisdom of the spirit." We have just such a case.

Prevention and Treatment for TB at Arequipa Sanatorium :: Tuberculosis Health Medical Essays

Prevention and Treatment for TB at Arequipa Sanatorium Arequipa Sanatorium and its â€Å"pottery† for tuberculosis treatment was founded in 1911 in the town of Fairfax, Marin County in the Northern Bay Area of California. [1] It was from the outset a private enterprise initiated by Dr. Philip King Brown. On October 22, 1913, a twenty-one year old housewife weighing 111 pounds, was admitted to Arequipa for â€Å"coughing on exertion.† When she was discharged home on February 28, 1914, she had worked at Arequipa Pottery over 105 hours, and had earned four dollars and five cents for it. She never gained more than three pounds and was probably discharged more for her lack of ability to work, than for being â€Å"cured.† A month earlier, the nurse Superintendent at Arequipa had written a letter to the Associated Charities of San Francisco, saying that â€Å"unless (the woman) is able to earn her way in the pottery, I doubt that we will be able to maintain her at the Sanitarium any longer.† [2] This young woman’s experience with sanatorium treatment at Arequipa, underscores a contradiction in the treatment of tuberculosis in the Progressive Era. Arequipa means â€Å"Place of Rest,† and while enforced rest was fundamental to Brown’s regimen, he also considered work to be therapeutic. Requiring work from patients helped â€Å"solve† the problem of how women of â€Å"modest means† could avoid destitution from their illness. It also helped Brown financially support his enterprise. The contradiction of using both rest and work as treatment at Arequipa provides a window into the complexity of health and social reform in the Progressive Era. In The Tuberculosis Movement, Michael Teller notes that in the mid 1800s the notion of the hereditary origin of TB â€Å"darkened every hope of prevention or cure.†[3] In her 1996 cultural history Fevered Lives, Katherine Ott, argues that the acceptance of TB after Koch’s discovery of the tubercule bacillus in 1882, transformed â€Å"consumption† into the specific and more clearly defined diagnosis of â€Å"tuberculosis.† In fact, sufferers and the public experienced these two conditions as two separate but related diseases.[4] Prevention and treatment of tuberculosis in the Progressive Era, included both older ideas of the disease as hereditary and the new understanding that the disease was infectious. Without effective medical treatment and without a modern understanding of the dormant and active phases of the disease, eugenic ideas about pre-disposition to TB coexisted with limited and mechanical ideas about infection control.

Pupils at Elementary School and Their Behavior Essay

Elementary school was formerly the name given to publicly funded schools in Great Britain[citation needed] which provided a basic standard of education for working class children aged from five to 14, the school leaving age at the time. They were also known as industrial schools. Elementary schools were set up to enable working class children to receive manual training and elementary instruction. They provided a restricted curriculum with the emphasis on reading, writingand arithmetic (the three Rs). The schools operated on a ‘monitorial’ system, whereby one teacher supervised a large class with the assistance of a team of monitors, who were quite often older pupils. Elementary school teachers were paid by results. Their pupils were expected to achieve precise standards in reading, writing and arithmetic such as reading a short paragraph in a newspaper, writing from dictation, and working out sums and fractions. [2] Before 1944 around 80 percent of the school population attended elementary schools through to the age of 14. The remainder transferred either to secondary school or junior technical school at age 11. The school system was changed with the introduction of the Education Act 1944. Education was restructured into three progressive stages which were known as primary education,secondary education and further education. [3] In the UK, schools providing primary education are now known as primary schools. They generally cater for children aged from four to eleven (Reception to Year Six or in Northern Ireland and Scotland P1 to P7). Primary schools are often subdivided into infant schools for children from four to seven and junior schools for ages seven to 11. In the (diminishing) minority of areas where there is a â€Å"three-tier† system, children go to lower school or â€Å"first school† until about 9, then middle school until about 13, then upper school; in these places, the term â€Å"primary school† is not usually used. ————————————————- [edit]United States Main article: Education in the United States. Elementary school in Kentucky, 1946 In the United States, authority to regulate education resides constitutionally with the individual states. The direct authority of the U. S. Congress and the federal U. S. Department of Education is essentially limited to regulation and enforcement of federal constitutional rights. Great indirect authority is exercised through federal funding of national programs and block grants; but there is no obligation upon any state to accept these funds, and the U. S. government otherwise may propose but not enforce national goals, objectives and standards, which generally lie beyond its jurisdiction. Nevertheless, education has had a relatively consistent evolution throughout the United States. All states have historically made a distinction between two genres of K-12 education and three genres of K-12 school. The genres of education are primary and secondary; and the genres of school are elementary school, middle or junior high school, and high school (historically, â€Å"senior† high school to distinguish it from the junior school). Primary education (or â€Å"primary school† meaning â€Å"primary education†) still tends to focus on basic academic learning and socialization skills, introducing children to the broad range of knowledge, skill and behavioral adjustment they need to succeed in life – and, particularly, in secondary school. Secondary education or secondary school has always focused on preparing adolescents for higher education or/and for careers in industries, trades or professions that do not require an academic degree. The elementary school has always been the main point of delivery for primary education; and the (senior) high school has always been the focal point ofsecondary education. Originally, elementary school was synonymous with primary education, taking children from kindergarten through grade 8; and secondary school was entirely coextensive with the high school grades 9 – 12. This system was the norm in America until the years following World War I, because most children in most parts of what was then the mostly rural United States could go no further than Grade 8. Even when the high schools were available, they were often not accessible. As the population grew and became increasingly urban and suburban instead of rural, the one-room schoolhouse gave way to the multi-room schoolhouse, which became multiple schools. This produced the third genre of school – the junior high school – which was designed to provide transitional preparation from primary school to secondary school, thus serving as a bridge between the elementary school and the high school. Elementary schools typically operated grades Kindergarten through 6; the junior high school, often housed in the same building as the senior high school, then covered grades 7 through 9; and the senior high school operated grades 10 through 12. At the same time, grade 9 marked the beginning of high school for the purpose of GPA calculation. It was typical during this period for state departments of education to certify (in California, â€Å"credential†) teachers to work in either primary or secondary education. A Primary School Certificate qualified the holder to teach any subject in grades K through 8, and his/her major and minor subjects in grade 9. A Secondary School Certificate qualified the holder to teach any subject in grades 7 and 8, and his/her major and minor subjects in grades 9 through 12. Certain subjects, such as music, art, physical, and special education were or could be conferred as K through 12 Teaching Certificates. By the late 1960s, the lines of transition between primary and secondary education began to blur, and the junior high school started to get replaced by the middle school. This change typically saw reassignment of grade 9 to the (senior) high school, with grade 6 reassigned to the middle school with grades 7 and 8. Subsequent decades in many states have also seen the realignment of teacher certification, with grade 6 frequently now included on the secondary teaching certificate. Thus, whereas 20th-century American education began with the elementary school finishing at grade 8, the 21st century begins with the American elementary school finishing at grade 5 in many jurisdictions. Nevertheless, the older systems do persist in many jurisdictions. While they are in the minority today, there are still school districts which, instead of adopting the â€Å"middle school†, still distinguish between junior and senior high schools. Thus, high schools can be either 9-12, which is most common, or 10-12. ————————————————- [edit]Saudi Arabia Main article: Education in Saudi Arabia The Saudi Arabian term for elementary school is , consisting of students from ages 6 to 12.

Food Politics

The ways in which the food system is failing us are numerous. It is failing some in quantity, while failing others in quality. The only members of the food system that are not being exploited are the corporate food producers, and that is because they are the exploiters in this equation. Just like the schoolyard that we are all familiar with, there are two groups on the food system playground; the bullied and the bullies. In comparison to the schoolyard example, the bullies are in the minority, consisting here of transnational corporations and other large organizations with one goal in mind: profit maximization.In the majority are the bullied, consisting of not only the lowly consumers such as you and I, but also small farms and even government organizations. While the present food system has many flaws that have led to this toxic playground relationship, there are solutions. We hope to clearly demonstrate where the food system is today, how this present food system is failing us, con nections to the Antony and Samuelson text, and lastly solutions. The term â€Å"food politics† refers to the political aspects of production, control, regulation, inspection, and distribution of food.Since biblical times, the government has played a dominant role in the production and control of food. The book of Genesis states: â€Å"the Egyptian pharaoh took 20 percent of all food production from his farmers as tax† (47:24). This demonstrates the regulatory role that the government has had in food production since the beginning of civilization. The key parties in food politics are consumers, farmers, food safety and quality regulators, retailers and the state. Today, customers demand affordable food, thus placing increased pressure on producers to mediate expenditures.There is enough food to feed the world, and there has been for many decades. In 2007, the Food and Agriculture Organization calculated that there is enough food to feed the world 1. 5x over (Holt-Gimene z and Patel 2009). While there is adequate food to end world hunger, the problem continues due to greed and unequal power distribution. International policies by the World Health Organization (WHO) have attempted to put an end to world hunger, but because the outcomes of these policies do not benefit the bottom lines of he state and of corporations, they are not supported (Paarlberg 2011). In our own backyard, the Canadian government has removed restrictions surrounding property ownership regulations, thus facilitating the redistribution of Canadian farmland. As far back as 1969, there were recommendations from the federal government to reduce the number of Canadian farmers by 50 to 65 percent, encouraging the movement toward a factory-farming model (Paarlberg, 2011). Factory farming is a model recognized for its increased efficiency and output in farming. This is when the quality of food diminishes.Low quality food is something every consumer encounters on a daily basis, however th e ability to make decisions surrounding food quality choices is greatly dependent on economic standing. Despite the want to purchase high quality food, this may not be financially feasible. Food imported and exported to Canada is inspected and regulated by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, which is â€Å"internationally recognized for its standards and principles† (CFIA). There are two major issues facing the CFIA. Firstly, their standards and principals are comparable to those of the United States, the most obese nation on earth and not a worthy role model.Secondly, as of August 2011, meat inspection methods have moved to a two-tier system due to budget cuts. The CFIA cannot afford to regulate meat nationwide and as such have relegated provincial sales and slaughter to that specific level of government and with it the ability to enforce consistent countrywide standards. With common origins in the capitalist system the agro-food sector is arguably one of the most globalize d in the various spheres of economic activity. Corporations have already been identified as one of the largest players in the food system, with the majority of these businesses being Agri-Transnational Corporations (TNCs).This is following two decades of economic liberalization, allowing Agri-TNCs to develop enormously in size, power and influence. Bayer, Monsanto and DuPont are a few of the better-known agri-transnational corporations, the key players in this globalization and domination game (ETC Group 2008). In total, there are six large agro chemical manufacturers that â€Å"control nearly 75% of the global pesticide market, [and] are also seed industry giants. † thus creating an oligopoly (ETC Group 2008). A small collection of large companies produces the majority of goods, giving consumers the ability to choose the best of the worst.This allows the corporations belonging to the oligopoly to collaborate on price, both at a consumer and employee level, protecting their p rofit margins by continually oppressing the consumers and workers into either accepting the offered price, or receiving nothing. Farmers are often bound by lengthy contracts to buy farm inputs from, and sell a specified crop, to the same corporation. This translates into farmers being held at ransom at every step of production. They are exceedingly dependent on a â€Å"corporate package† while denying communities control over their own food and future.The package consists of high-cost inputs including synthetic fertilizers, chemical pesticides and unsustainable genetically modified seeds that do not germinate as easily, ensuring the continuous cycle of dependency. The push towards industrial, high-input agriculture is driving farmers into debt. They must take out loans in order to afford modified seeds, and more effective fertilizers and pesticides. The vast majority of food related TNCs share the same quality of holding global investments in the food industry and controlling much of how food is grown, processed, distributed and purchased.The aforementioned oligopoly creates a relationship of dependence. Both the consumers and employees are dependent on these TNCs on a daily basis. Because TNCs dominate the industry in these countries, and government regulation is lacking, the reserve army of labour is highly exploitable. If these workers are fired from the TNCs, there are few other employers with which to seek work. From a consumer perspective, most all of the products available in retail outlets are produced by these TNCs, with little choice of products from other companies. This market domination combined with the ollaboration between TNCs for price setting in a given market creates the perfect storm for these parties to be marginalized. As illustrated in Figure 1, ten companies own the majority of food products that we consume, but due to the fact that they have many subsidiaries – each with different branding- consumers have a false sense of choice. Industrial food and farming practices not only deny local communities and indigenous people control over their own water, forests, minerals, biodiversity, and land, but also devalues their local wisdom and knowledge of farming practices.This industrialization clearly abuses both the area around local citizens as well as the citizens themselves. While these parties, the majority of the population, are disadvantaged as our food system industrializes, corporations and governments benefit by way of increased profits and domination. Implications of this change are at the expense of depriving peasants and small food producers around the world of their basic human rights while limiting their existing livelihood, culture, health, and self-determination. A growing trend in recent years has been agro fuel production.We are seeing a partnership of multinationals such as BP global for the conversion of land to cash crop rather than subsistence production. Revisited again under the cont ract-growing model, Monsanto has created a situation in which farmers cannot produce food for sustenance, but rather they must employ monocropping. This increases dependency on purchased inputs and on foreign markets that communities have no say in, and therefore threatening local subsistence and food security. â€Å"Agro fuels, also referred to as biofuels, are fuels derived from food crops such as corn, soya, canola, sugar cane, and oil. (Martini and Shiva 2008). Massive deforestation in Brazil due to monocropping for agro fuels has caused the displacement of indigenous peoples and devastating effects on the climate. â€Å"The FAO argues [that] agro fuels account for 10% of food price rise, while the IMF and IFPRI claim 30%, and the World Bank estimated a contribution of between 65% and 75%. † (Chakraborrty and Phillips 2008). This information is essential when evaluating the impact that agro fuels have in Brazil and in many other countries and communities.In Ending Hunger in Our Lifetime, food security is defined as â€Å"access by all people at all times to enough food for an active healthy life† (Runge, Senauer, Pardey, and Rosegrant 2003:15). The World Health Organization (WHO) expands on this concept and presents the three pillars of food security: (1) Availability – having a consistent supply and sufficient quantity of food, (2) Accessibility – having the resources to ensure a nutritious diet, and (3) Food Use – appropriate use centered around having rudimentary knowledge of nutrition (Schanbacher 2010:12).When discussing food politics, a central issue is the imminent threat to food security. Food insecurity is encouraged by many potential risk factors including, but not limited to, globalization, population growth, trade policies, food aid, a loss of agricultural productivity, and the genetic modification of food. Thomas Malthus, an 18th century economist and author of â€Å"On the Principle of Population† wr ote that â€Å"food is necessary to the existence of man [and] that the passion between the sexes is necessary and will [never cease]. † (Malthus 1798).He then suggested that while population will continue to grow in a geometrical ratio (1,2,4,8, etc†¦), that land subsistence only grows in an arithmetic sequence (1,3,5,7, etc†¦) and is therefore unable to support the population, thus posing a threat to food security. The powerful forces within the food system oppose this Malthusian theory with the argument that the rate of population growth is slowing, which overall is true, but population growth continues to soar in the poorest countries; the countries where food insecurity is the biggest concern.Figure 2: Population Growth 1990-2100 PopulationIncrease (%) 1990202521001990-2100 Developing Countries4. 087. 0710. 20150 Developed Countries1. 211. 401. 5024 World5. 308. 4711. 70121 Source: United Nations 1993. Doha, Qatar. It aimed to promote trade liberalization as a means of rendering developing countries less vulnerable to food insecurity. The reduction of international trade protections and tariffs after the 1994 Uruguay Round led to the rapid transfer of products throughout the world, but not at an equal rate or proportion.When speaking on these imbalances, the Doha Declaration stated: We agree that special and differential treatment for developing countries shall be an integral part of all elements of the negotiations and shall be embodied in the schedules of concessions and commitments and as appropriate in the rules and disciplines to be negotiated, so as to be operationally effective and to enable developing countries to effectively take account of their development needs, including food security and rural development (WTO 2001).These imbalances were prevalent after the 2008 economic crisis as more developed, and thus powerful, countries were able to protect themselves from loss of profit through restrictive trade policies. By limiting i mports, which tend to come from developing nations, developed countries were able to mitigate damages. Take for example the differing trends in Asia and Africa present in Figure 3; In Asia, rates of undernourishment were stable post 2008, while they rose significantly in Africa (FAO 2011).As defined by the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), food aid is â€Å" a response to address the dietary and nutritional needs of [vulnerable] populations, [to help] and enhance [their] livelihoods and become self-reliant, all essential for sustainable development. † (CIDA n. d. ). It is important to establish that food aid is not the answer to food security and that there are many biases that exist within its system. Amongst others, food aid has been criticized for being donor directed, promoting domestic interests, being driven by exporters, and that development is not the primary goal.This criticism has led some to refer to food aid as â€Å"food dumping† as the ine xpensive food being offered to poorer nations at highly subsidized prices undercuts the local farmers who cannot compete with these prices. They are then driven out of their jobs, which further slants the market in favour of large producers such as those from the US and Europe (Runge, Senauer, Pardey and Rosegrant 2003:125). The USA currently provides approximately 60% of all international food aid and its primary recipients are Peru, Haiti, India, Indonesia, Vietnam, Jordan, Egypt and the Philippines.Given their massive â€Å"donations†, many American agricultural lobby groups hoped food aid would lure recipients into dependence, and that when taken away, the beneficiaries would be forced to become paying customers. In an attempt to avoid entering into the coercive relationship that is food aid, some countries have found alternative strategies to deal with food shortages. One method is an alteration of diet from eating fewer meals each day to consuming less desirable â€Å" famine foods† and selling non-essential assets in order to purchase food (Paarlberg 2010:72).In Food Aid: A cause, or symptom, of development failure, or an instrument for success? Srinivasan asserts that food aid â€Å"blunts incentives for domestic food production and hence increases the probability of long-term dependency on donors; or that by alleviating food shortages, it enables the regime in power to postpone, if not abandon, politically costly economic reforms. † (1993). In line with this assertion comes the proposition to replace traditional food aid with a one-time distribution of farming equipment, livestock, and money in a bid to return people to their previously productive lifestyles.One of the ways in which donors hold power over recipient countries is through Structural Adjustment Programmes (SAPs), promoted by the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF). SAPs are imposed under the guise of assisting countries in bringing their â€Å"nationa l macroeconomic conditions to a place where [they] can benefit from regional and international trade agreements. † (Schanbacher 2010:14). A SAP will require countries to limit their social safety nets and to enter basic necessities such as food, water and land into the private sector.These prescriptions require countries to reduce social safety nets and introduce survival necessities like food, water and land to the commodity market in order to receive the loans they need (Samuelson and Antony 2012:246). These specifications have led to increasing food insecurity, a lack of social protections (namely health care and education) and a widening of class inequality. One manifestation of a lack of food security in a given society may take the form of riots.Food riots are caused by a jump in food prices, which results from crop failure, ineffective storage methods and hoarding (Lang and Heasman 2004:12). In a desperate attempt to obtain nutrients, the public may become desperate and frustrated enough to attack shops, farms and government buildings. In a recent Globe and Mail article entitled Food riots: What creates the anger? Evan Fraser, co-author of the book Empires of Food: Feast, Famine and the Rise and Fall of Civilizations wrote that â€Å"it's the sense of injustice rather than price volatility that ultimately causes the rioting†.In 2011, President Hosni Mubarak of Egypt, the world’s largest exporter of wheat, ordered over 800,000 tonnes of the grain and stockpiled it in an attempt to avoid civil unrest. His plan failed and infuriated citizens took to the streets in protest (Globe and Mail 2011). If food prices continue to rise at their current rate, we can only assume that the frequency and intensity of foot riots will increase. With profit being the primary goal of most involved in the agricultural system, monocropping has been employed by many of the world’s food producers.As defined by Schanbacher in The Politics of Food (2010: 56), monocropping refers to the practice of growing the same crop year after year without rotation to other crops. This method is economically rewarding for farms as it produces higher yields, allows them to invest in crop-specific equipment and because many governments provide subsidies to farms which utilize this method. By continuously growing a single crop, (namely soybeans, wheat and corn), the land becomes depleted of its nutrients and therefore highly dependent on fertilizers and incapable of supporting vegetative life.Those employing this method often choose to abandon the land after leeching it of its nutrients, as it is less expensive than working to maintain it. Furthermore, just as mortality rates in the Native American population soared after being exposed, by European settlers, to infectious diseases to which they were not immune, monocropping exposes crops to the same situation as they lose their genetic diversity. Take for example the Irish Potato Famine of 1845, whi ch occurred after potatoes were introduced in response to the suffering economy and extremely low wages of the working class.Though originally intended to serve as a supplement, potatoes swiftly became a staple of the Irish diet and when a bacteria travelled to the UK in 1845, the entire crop was wiped out. Over the next three years, one in eight Irish died of starvation, but unfortunately, many of us seem not to have learnt our lesson (Nestle 2007:247). In fact, the US government currently offers substantial subsidies to those farming the primary monocropping products: corn, soybeans and wheat. When discussing public wellbeing in the United States of America, one often references the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).The FDA’s mandate is to promote safety through ensuring that: conventional foods, dietary supplements, and drugs are safe and accurately labeled, and to ensure that drugs have benefits confirmed in clinical trials (Nestle 2007:227). Despite being an American in stitution, the FDA has many international interests and is considered the de facto standard around the world. In 2009, President Barack Obama called the FDA’s failure to inspect more than 95% of food processing plants â€Å"a hazard to public health† (Paarlberg 2010:158).Many members of the general public have called for additional funding to support more complete inspection coverage, which would alleviate the significant pressure that is currently being placed on small and organic farms that cannot compete with their large competitors with ties to the FDA. The Food and Drug Administration is also responsible for researching and publishing information about the safety of different foods. Of particular concern are the potential risks associated with the consumption of Genetically Modified foods.Despite claims that there are no studies showing links between GM foods and health risks, in 1998 the FDA was forced to publicize more than 44,000 internal documents noting links with allergies, toxins, new diseases, anti-biotic resistant diseases, nutritional problems and cancer causing agents (Paarlberg 2010:168). In 1961 the World Health Organization instated the Codex Alimentarius Commission whose purpose was to create international food safety standards, but to this day there are still many dangerous chemicals in use (Lang, Heasman 2004:48).Though guidelines exist to limit the use of chemicals in genetically modified foods, little is done about those used in animal feed and other by-products that are eventually consumed by humans. Due to bioaccumulation, the â€Å"progressive increase in the amount of a substance in an organism or part of an organism which occurs because the rate of intake exceeds the organism’s ability to remove the substance from the body. † the effect of these toxins only increases as the products arrive at the top of the food chain: humans (U. S. Geological Survey: 2007).These pesticides provide a pathway for Persiste nt Organic Pollutants, which we store in our body fat and which have a destructive impact on humans, wildlife, land and water (Lang and Heasman 2004: 225). In fact, POP’s have been linked to everything from cancer to reproductive and birth defects to neurological diseases. Though food producers are expected to follow CDCA (Centre for Disease Control Agency) guidelines, this only protects consumers if they ingest a single portion of an individual item (Lang and Heasman 2004: 226,227).Foods with the highest levels of POP’s include: butter, melons, cucumbers, peanuts, popcorn, spinach and squash (Lang and Heasman 2004:227). This poses a major problem as even if foods are individually within the CDCA guidelines, collectively they pose major risks. With the recent trend towards â€Å"Green Politics†, the amount of pesticides used has decreased and due to biased education the general public has assumed this to mean that our food is safer. Unfortunately, the toxicity o f pesticides used has increased approximately 10-100x since 1975 thus putting consumers at great risk (Lang and Heasman 2004:227).One cannot discuss Genetically Modified foods without referring to the Monsanto Corporation. In 2001, Monsanto was listed as #3 in the world when it came to agrochemical sales and many have labeled it â€Å"the worlds most unethical company† (Nestle 2007:101). They are a world leader in the production of genetically modified foods and they created the highly poisonous herbicide Roundup which is incredibly damaging to both ecology and humans. Unfortunately, Monsanto, and many other companies like them, have taken advantage of their positions of power to bias the public in favour of their products.In a 1999-2000 American Dietetic Association nutrition fact sheet sponsored by Monsanto, they said, â€Å"The U. S. government has a well co-ordinated system to ensure that new agricultural biotechnology products are safe for the environment and to animal and human health† (Nestle 2007:113). Given that the ADA represents the interests of 70,000 nutritionists many see their â€Å"fact sheets† to be trustworthy, but we need to be more wary as many ADA certified nutritionists are in fact employed by companies like the Monsanto Corporation (Nestle 2007:113).In Das Kapital, Karl Marx presents the idea of commodity fetishism; that in a capitalist society, money and commodities are fetishes that inhibit our ability to see the reality of a given situation because we view them as relationships between goods as opposed to a relationship between people. In the case of food security, commodity fetishism prevents people from acknowledging that someone was exploited to produce a given product and that our choices as consumers support this unfair treatment (Thomson 2010:164-166).This purposeful distancing of the owners from their means of production allows them, and as a result, the average consumer, to disengage from the food system. Raj Patel, the author of Stuffed and Starved connects this to one of the three pillars of food security- food accessibility- and says that â€Å"the fantasy of those not willing to pay has removed the need for compassion from food economics, as if to say that it is someone’s choice to go hungry as opposed to their inability to afford or meet the high asking price. . This enables society to believe that â€Å"our choices at the checkout don’t take away the choices of those who grow our food (2008). In Power and Resistance, Sandy Miller discusses the idea of food as inspiration and imperative for social change. She outlines ways in which the food system is failing and some potential solutions. Amongst them, Miller focuses on modification of land use practices, ownership of food infrastructure, accessibility to land, food distribution policy, and alternative food movements.The road is long, and not well travelled, but there is hope for a revolution within our global foo d system and it rests on civil society becoming more educated and thus, engaged. We have to ask questions: Where does our food come from? What is actually in it? What constitutes a healthy diet? We have to change the way people think about food- they have to be the change. Without people standing up, asking questions, and actually practicing what they preach, nothing will change. Though land is widely considered to be a renewable resource, we must examine the veracity of this claim.Land has the capacity to renew itself, but as more infrastructure is built, less cropland is available and as a result that which remains is often exposed to overuse and abuse; as was previously explained in the instance of monocropping. Furthermore, due to this leeching of nutrients from the soil, erosion rates have accelerated to the point where land reformation cannot occur and genetically modified seeds and fertilizers (such as Monsanto’s RoundUp) are being used more prevalently.When crops are grown on land that has been leeched of its nutrients, the produce yielded from there will too be nutrient-weak; one example being genetically modified rice. This rice has vitamin A added to it, however to meet your recommended daily intake of vitamin A, one would need to consume fifty bowls of (Norton 2012). Miller presents the idea of land reserves as an important route in the labyrinth of solutions. A land reserve is a â€Å"zone in which agriculture is recognized as the priority use, [where] farming is encouraged and non-agricultural uses are controlled† (ALC 2012).Miller references one very successful case study; British Columbia’s Agricultural Land Reserve (ALR). The ALR covers almost 5 million hectares of private and public land that may be farmed, forested or vacant and any person or people intending on using this land must plan in accordance with the ALR mandate of preserving agricultural land (Samuelson and Antony 2012:257). Because the primary goal of food pr oducers is profit, they are not concerned with proper land maintenance and, as a result, the nutritional value of their goods.When discussing land, it is essential to consider its accessibility and distribution, as this is a major indicator of who maintains ownership of the food infrastructure. In a 2011 paper released by the United Nations, titled Corruption in the Land Sector, the Food and Agriculture Organizations reported that: Effective and enforceable land governance provides a necessary framework for development and an important defense against many forms of corruption. It supports food security and ensures sustainable livelihoods that are essential for people and countries that rely on land as one of their main economic, social and cultural assets.For example, empirical findings from more than 63 countries show that where corruption in land is less prevalent, it correlates to better development indicators, higher levels of foreign direct investment and increased crop yields. (FAO 2011) A national example of this â€Å"[in]effective and [un]enforceable land governance† can be seen in Ontario where the local food infrastructure has been systematically dismantled by the government as they offer payouts to farmers willing to forgo planting fruit trees in favour of more economically viable options such as real estate investments (FAO 2011).When interviewed, farmers and stakeholders proposed solutions that would â€Å"reframe the food chain from farming to processing to storage, distribution and marketing. † (Samuelson and Antony 2012:258-259). To reach the goal of more equitable distribution of, and access to land, many food movements rely on social justice and well-distributed power. These movements recognize that our current food system is in need of an egalitarian perspective on food infrastructure. Agroecology may be one of the most influential food movements thus far.This movement promotes the potential to create a new way of living in wh ich the presence of humans will not destroy our planet. Samuelson and Antony describe agro ecology as â€Å"a way of thinking in tune with an agricultural ecosystem that tests and solves problems where they arise, in the context of local pests and beneficials, climatic benefits and challenges, and the realities of locally financed and managed farming. †. Among other techniques, agroecology also involves the use of century old farming methods such as crop rotation.Crop rotation involves planting in a multi-year cycle so as to avoid depletion of nutrients, and susceptibility to pests (2012:260). La Via Campesina, a peasant organization, is dedicated to promoting food sovereignty through the use of natural resources and support of domestic markets. Canada’s National Farmer’s Union constitutes one group which makes up the 150 million members from 69 different countries. La Via Campesina’s mandate is to grant membership solely to peasants (representatives of l arge corporations are not welcome) and to ensure that power remains within the hands of the majority (Samuelson and Antony 2012:259).Another alternative to supporting these large corporations, The Farm-to-Community Movement, is presented in Food Politics: How the Food Industry Influences Nutrition and Health: â€Å"this category aims to connect farmers to local communities through farmers’ markets, community supported agriculture (customers pay farmers in advance for seasonal produce), and programs that link farmers to schools, restaurants, and other institutions. † (Nestle 2007:x). Community gardens are another popular strategy that can help provide safe and nutritious food while simultaneously supporting local infrastructure.A community garden is a local plot of land worked on by a group of people who share the work, as well as the crops. In this process food is not fetishized as a commodity, instead creating an alternative to capitalism as well as providing the bene fit of healthy, local, and organic food. Acadia University features a community garden, allowing for students and community members to have the opportunity to grow their own crops. In addition to splitting the yield amongst its members, the garden supplies food to the Wheelock dining hall, along with Wolfville’s local food bank.Many have created community gardens in what space they have in their own backyards and most of these gardens function as charities. This allows people living in poverty the opportunity to eat local and organic food they may otherwise be unable to afford thus bolstering all three pillars of food security: accessibility, availability and food use. The presence of community gardens is one aspect of food relocalization; a movement which focuses on eating, growing and distributing locally as a means of lowering carbon emissions (due to shorter travel time) and of stimulating the local economy.Relocalization focuses on advocating changes in scale, ownership, and relationships from one end of the supply chain to the other. This practice is employed by communities around the world who harvest enough food to sustain themselves, but do not produce for profit. This process is concerned with feeding all members of the given community, and is considered an effective means of eradicating poverty. In 2007, chef and restaurateur Jamie Oliver founded the Pass It On food movement, which encourages healthy eating, habits through a method of education, which promotes exponential growth in its followers.His inspiration came from the British Ministry of Food’s attempt to manage food shortages by educating the public about proper nutrition during World War II (Oliver 2009:8). With this in mind, he formed his own radical movement in an effort to raise awareness and incite action to help solve the food crisis. In 2010, the largest killers in America were diet-related diseases (TEDTalks 2010). This is the fuel behind the movement’s transfer to the United States, more specifically, Huntington Beach, Virginia – the fattest town in America (Oliver 2009).He was met with widespread criticism and a general lack of acceptance due to his harsh critique of the American school system. Oliver suggests a weekly session, 30-60 minutes, to educate children on nutrition and healthy meal options (TEDTalks 2010). This solution would be both easy to implement and inexpensive, meaning the government would not have to cut any presently funded programs in order to reallocate finances. Oliver also suggests introducing food ambassadors into local supermarkets.These ambassadors would be tasked with showing consumers what to buy, how to read labels, and how to cook quick and healthy meals (TEDTalks 2010). The costs of such an initiative would be borne by either the corporations who own products sold in the supermarket or the supermarket itself. Oliver believes that â€Å"big corporations need to put food education on the top of their p riority list, and at the heart of their businesses† because a large part of change lies in their hands (TEDTalks 2010). They have a corporate responsibility to provide a new, fresh standard of food, and we, as consumers must hold them accountable.While it may feel like there is no way to avoid being failed by the food system, there is a solution to the problem that you can implement on your own, without the need to influence others. There are many publications released each year, discussing what constitutes healthy eating, but there is one that supersedes the other in terms of influencing the eating choices of the average Canadian citizen; Canada’s Food Guide. Canada’s Food Guide was overhauled in 2007, and renamed Eating Well with Canada’s Food Guide (Health Canada 2011).While the majority of the Canadian population, including schools and other public institutions, use this guide when planning meals they have little to no understanding as to how this guid e was developed. The Food Expert Advisory Committee conducted the redesign of the guide in 2007, with members appointed by Health Canada (Health Canada 2011). One would assume that the members of this committee would be physicians and nutritionists that had a keen interest in the betterment of our heath; that they would be using their knowledge for good.A closer examination of the members of this committee uncovers the contrary; that many of the members have a strong conflict of interests. Paul Paquin held the position of chair at the time of the 2007 Food Guide revisions, while simultaneously acting as vice-president of the International Dairy Federation (Health Canada 2012). Paquin is not alone in holding a conflicting position while on the Food Expert Advisory Committee. Also advocating for the dairy industry is committee member Dr.Mansel Griffiths, who is concurrently on the Expert Scientific Advisory Committee for Dairy Farmers of Canada (Health Canada 2012). With our Food Guid e in the hands of such individuals, is it any wonder that dairy has it’s own distinct category in our Food Guide? Separate from the interests of these members of the committee, there is also the issue of meat in Canada’s food guide. In 2011, Harvard University released a study on the effects of red meat, disclosing that consumption leads to an increase of death due to cancer and heart disease, as well to an overall risk of death (Harvard School of Public Health 2012).The study detailed that one daily serving of unprocessed meat increased the overall risk of mortality by 13%, while the same serving of processed meat increased the risk by 20% (Harvard School of Public Health 2012). This then begs the question of why it is so ingrained in the minds of civil society that we â€Å"need† animal protein to survive? Despite these findings being published by a well-respected institution, Canada’s Food Guide continues to recommend two daily servings of meat for adu lt females and three for adult males (Health Canada 2007).They also suggest eating two servings of fish a week, and choosing lower sodium luncheon (processed) meat products (Health Canada 2007). Providing that an individual does eat two servings of fish a week that leaves 12-19 servings available for the consumption of red meat. Canada’s Food Guide fails to reflect these well-researched findings because they are not in the best interest of the one-percent. Cattle farming, both for dairy and beef are lucrative industries in Canada, and they share close ties with the ruling class.The government is invested in protecting the presently established capitalist environment, that of bottom lines and the best interests of the minority- capitalist corporations- and in doing so is harming the majority- it’s citizens. As has been shown in this report, food security is part and parcel of a larger cycle of social problems. In Power and Resistance, Antony and Samuelson present some o f the issues which are both affected by and effect the matter of food security: persistent poverty in Canada, Indian residential schools, and the global economic crisis.Though not comparable to many developing countries around the world, it is essential to note that food insecurity does exist in developed countries such as Canada. In the 2007-2008 census it was reported that 7. 2% of Canadians were living in households that were food insecure (Health Canada). A primary contributing factor to the inability of Canadians to access food is its high cost. In 2012, Dieticians of Canada released the report The Cost of Eating in BC 2011 which drew attention to the fact that many British Columbians don’t have the resources to afford nutritious food.This is due, in large part, to the significant rise in food and shelter costs and the unchanged welfare rates (Dietitians Canada). In essence, people are not earning any more but their costs are rising meaning they cannot afford what Food S ecure Canada calls â€Å"safe food†: nourishing foods being readily at hand and the restriction of unhealthy products. One of the most impoverished groups in Canada is our Aboriginal community and as was presented, much of the school-age population was forced into residential schools up until 1998 when the last band school was dismantled.In these residential schools, food accessibility was of major concern as poor nutrition and the withholding of food were used as a means of control and suppression. Even after the closure of these institutions, the aboriginal community is continuing to feel the effects of its government’s exploitation. A 2010 study from the University of Western Ontario found that parental residential school attendance had a positive correlation with experiencing food insecurity, and that food insecurity was negatively correlated with doing well in school. In Health Canada’s 2007-2008 report on Household Food Insecurity, 20. % of Aboriginals wer e found to be living in food insecure households- this is 3 times higher than the non-Aboriginal households. â€Å"The global financial and economic crisis has pushed an additional 100 million people into hunger in 2009, bringing the overall number of undernourished people in the world to over one billion. † (FAO). The current crisis shadowed the climbing price of food and significantly limited food accessibility worldwide. In 2009, domestic staple foods in developing countries cost approximately 20% more than they did in 2007 (FAO).In order to deal with food insecurity, which directly threatens development, many households have been forced to implement negative coping strategies such as: selling of assets, becoming trapped in debt, withdrawing children from school, illegal activities, and forced migration. Furthermore, with the simultaneous decline in income and rise in food costs, individuals often reduce spending on â€Å"safe food†- primarily meat, dairy products, fruits and vegetables. What is clear from these examples is that there is a pervasive interconnectedness and that in order to make progress, multi-faceted and situation-appropriate approaches must be developed.To conclude, while it is easy to fall into the â€Å"traps† that result in the exploitative relationship between multinational producers and consumers, there are other options. The current food system is laden with large organizations that take advantage of limited consumer knowledge combined with government partnerships. This pairing allows for consumer knowledge to stay at a level where they can be easily exploited, demonstrating that the government is a key player in the continued failure of the food system in the eyes of their own citizens. All is not lost, as there are ways that individual consumers can mitigate the ffects that this failure has on them. The solution is for consumers and other members of the bullied group to look out for their own interests. Having the maximum control and knowledge about what is going in your body is paramount. Eating locally allows for the greatest possible understanding of the narrative of a given good before it reaches your plate. Be an informed citizen: do research on the issues that affect your wellbeing, do not let power equal credibility, trust no one and question everything. 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