Types of Feature Stories for Journalists

Just as there are different kinds of hard-news stories  in journalism, there are several types of feature stories. Often described as soft news, a feature story doesnt deliver the news directly, as a hard-news story does. A feature story, while containing elements of news, aims to humanize, add color, educate, entertain, and illuminate, says Media-Studies.ca. These stories often build on news that was reported in a previous news cycle. Examples of feature stories include news features, profiles, spot features, trend stories, and live-ins. Feature stories can be found in the main news section of a newspaper, especially if they profile a person or group currently in the news. But they are also likely to be found in sections farther back in the paper—in lifestyles, entertainment, sports, or business sections. They also can be found in other news formats, such as radio, television, and the Internet. News Feature The news feature is just what the name implies: a feature article that focuses on a topic in the news. News features are often published in the main news, or A section, or the local news, or B section, of a paper. These stories focus on hard-news topics but arent deadline stories. They bring a softer writing style to hard news. These articles often are people stories, focusing on individuals behind the news, and they often seek to humanize a set of statistics. A news feature could claim, for example, that a community is experiencing a methamphetamine epidemic. It would begin by citing facts such as  arrest statistics  from local, state, or federal authorities or treatment numbers from area hospitals and drug counselors. Then it might include quotes and information from people involved in different aspects of the story, such as police, emergency room doctors, drug counselors, and meth addicts. This kind of feature story focuses not on a single crime, drug-induced death, or meth-related arrest; instead, it briefly tells the story of one or more of the above-mentioned characters, such as recovering meth addicts. The news feature seeks to put a human face on a crime statistic to bring the story to life for readers and inform them of potential problems with the issue. Profile A profile is an article about an individual, such as a politician, celebrity, athlete, or CEO. Profiles seek to give readers behind-the-scenes looks at what a person is like, warts and all, behind the public persona. Profile articles provide background about the individual: education, life experiences, and challenges faced in getting where he or she is now, as well as basic information such as age, marital status, and family details, including the number of siblings and children. A profile can appear in any section of the paper, from the A section to the business section. For example, in 2016, The Orange County Register ran a feature story on Carl Karcher, the late founder of Carls Jr. The story, written by reporter Nancy Luna, described how Karcher started the fast-food restaurant, which specializes in hamburgers, on July 17, 1941, by selling 10-cent hot dogs, tamales, and chili dogs out of a cart on a street corner in Los Angeles, California. He financed a $326 food cart by mortgaging his Plymouth Super Deluxe for $311, Luna wrote. He paid the rest in cash. The remainder of the article told how Karcher rose from being a poor Ohio farm boy with an eighth-grade education to the owner of one of the most successful fast-food chains in the country. Karcher had passed away in 2008, so Luna interviewed a restaurant official to obtain background information. Spot Feature Spot features are feature stories produced on deadline that focus on a breaking news event. They are often used as sidebars to the mainbar, the deadline news story about an event. Suppose a tornado hits a community. The mainbar would focus on the five Ws and H of the story—the who, what, when, where, why, and how—including the number of casualties, the extent of damage, and rescue efforts. Complementing the mainbar, the paper might publish one or more spot features focusing on various aspects of the event. One story might describe the scene at an emergency shelter where displaced residents were housed. Another might reflect on past tornadoes that have devastated the community. Yet another might examine weather conditions that led to the storm. The paper could publish dozens of spot features depending on the severity of the event. While the main news story would be written in a hard-news style, the spot features would convey a softer feature style, focusing on the human toll of the tragedy. Trend The trend story would likely appear in the lifestyle, fashion, cooking, high-tech, or entertainment section. These stories explore trends such as a new look in womens fall fashions, a website or tech gadget that everyones going nuts over, an indie band attracting a cult following, or a show on an obscure cable channel thats suddenly hot. Trend stories take the pulse of the culture at the moment, looking at whats new, fresh, and exciting in art, fashion, film, music, high technology, cooking, and other areas. Trend stories are usually light, quick, easy-to-read pieces that capture the spirit of whatever trend is being discussed. Live-In The live-in is an in-depth, often magazine-length article that paints a picture of a particular place and the people who work or live there. Live-in stories might appear in the lifestyle section of the paper or in a magazine that the paper publishes occasionally, such as once a week or once a month. Live-ins have been written about homeless shelters, emergency rooms, battlefield encampments, cancer hospices, public schools, and police precincts. Live-in pieces are often a day-in-the-life or week-in-the-life stories that give readers a look at a place they probably wouldnt normally encounter. Reporters doing live-ins must spend a lot of time in the places theyre writing about, hence the name live-in. Thats how they get a sense of the places rhythm and atmosphere. Reporters have spent days, weeks, even months doing live-ins (some have been turned into books). The live-in in some ways is the ultimate feature story: an example of the reporter—and, then, the reader—becoming immersed in the topic. Though they might have different names, depending on the medium, these types of stories are just as likely to appear on a TV screen, radio station, or Internet website, serving readers, listeners, and viewers in much the same way as they do newspaper readers: by adding depth, humanity, color, and entertainment to the news of the day.

Analysis Of The Novel A Short Story - 1979 Words

Short stories often present the single experience of a character or set of characters where its climax is marked by a moment of crisis, either in a literal or more emotional and spiritual sense. Unlike the novel, a short story does not provide the full details of the circumstances or backstory of the situation at hand, nor does it allow the reader to develop an in-depth relationship with these characters. Despite its condensed form, the short story can possess layers of subtexts and a sort of narrative ambiguity where pressure is placed on the reader to make something of these literary texts. To make sense of these subtexts, the reader should pay particular attention to the narrative voice being utilized because the narrator has the ability to influence how a reader may respond to a literary text by setting up a perspective from which the reader sees it. To get a thorough analysis of a short story, the reader must analyze its narrator because the text’s character is develop ed from â€Å"the degree to which and the manner in which that identity is indicated in the text, and the choices that are implied† (Bal 19). Evidence suggests that the experience a reader may get from a short story is mostly dependent upon how that story is presented. Mieke Bal refers to this as focalization, where â€Å"the relation between ‘who perceives’ and what is perceived ‘colors’ the story with subjectivity† (8). For instance, the psychology behind the supposed lovers’ behavior in D.H. Lawrence’sShow MoreRelated Fitzgerald and Short Story Writing Essay1370 Words   |  6 PagesFitzgerald and Short Story Writing Although Fitzgerald today is usually considered a novelist, in his lifetime he was more well-known for his short stories. He was a prolific writer of short stories, and published around 160 of them (Bruccoli xiii). Many literary critics often separate â€Å"Fitzgerald the novel writer† from â€Å"Fitzgerald the short story writer†. In his own life, Fitzgerald felt somewhat of a disconnection between his ‘literary’ career as a novelist and his more professionalRead MoreA Proposal1240 Words   |  5 Pages A Proposal: A Good Man is Hard to Find In 1953, the short story â€Å"A Good Man is Hard to Find† was published in the anthology Modern Writing I by Avon Publications. Around the year 1955, a collection of short stories by Flannery O’Connor became published. The themes of these stories range from baptism to serial killers and then to human greed and exploration. 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In both short stories, Hemingway describes scenery and characters with simple words directly to give readers a vivid image. Under this sketch, readers can know characters’ emotion and get the theme through their imagination and analysis. First, Hemingway uses concise words to describe characters and scenery to show a vivid image. Readers can imageRead MoreA Short Summary and Analysis About the Book ‘’ Pride and Prejudice’’1448 Words   |  6 PagesFoundation English 5/ ENG0005 07/11/2012 A Short Summary And Analysis Of The Book ‘’ Pride and Prejudice’’ By Jane Austen BACKGROUND INFORMATION - BIOGRAPHY Jane Austen was born in 1775 at Steventon, Hampshire in southern England, where her father was a minister. She was the sixth child in a family of seven children. The family was very close, and Jane had a particular closeness to her sister Cassandra. Although she attended boarding school for a short while, she was mostly educated at home. BothRead MoreOliver Twist And The Childs Story1306 Words   |  6 PagesCharles Dickens short stories show that many of his stories are in the English Victorian era and are written about crime and punishment. His biographical information will make readers believe that most of his stories come from mysterious murders and detective investigation crimes. One of Charles Dickens stories, â€Å"Oliver Twist† reveals that it is written about his own life experience growing up and his feelings of abandonment issues from his father (Marks 3). The reader’s analysis of Charles DickensRead More Shirley Jacksons The Lottery 946 Words   |  4 Pa gesJackson wrote many short stories and even some books. They are more on the dark, witchlike side, however. Kelleher explains that Jackson stated in some interviews that she practiced magic. No one really knows if she was serious while practicing witchcraft or not, but it ended up helping her write her stories http://www.literarytraveler.com/literary_articles/shirley_jackson_bennington.aspx). A major story that throws people for a loop is â€Å"The Lottery†. This was Jackson’s first short story and many peopleRead MoreErnest Hemmingway Research Paper1127 Words   |  5 Pagesbe the basis for his novel â€Å"A Farewell to Arms.† Ernest Hemmingway did most of his literary work between the mid-1920s and the mid-1950s. His career in writing ended shortly after he won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1954. In his career Hemmingway published seven novels, six short story collections, and two non-fiction work. An additional three novels, four collections of short stories, and three non-fiction works were published posthumously. Hemmingway’s first novel was â€Å"The Sun Also Rises†Read More Flannery OConnor: A Twentieth Century Fiction Writer Essay829 Words   |  4 Pages There has been a significant amount critical analysis written about Flannery OConnors short stories and novels. There is a significant amount critical analysis about Flannery OConnor because she used so many styles that have not been used before. Flannery OConnor ranks among he most important American fiction writers of the twentieth century. Flannery OConnor was born in 1925 in Savannah, Georgia, and lived there until her family moved in 1938. OConnor and her family moved to a small GeorgiaRead MoreSupernatural Essay1273 Words   |  6 Pagesmedieval setting†- â€Å"Gothic novel.† Dictionary.com, Dictionary.com, 29 Nov. 2017, www.dictionary.com/browse/gothic-novel. C. Thesis Statement: The theme of the supernatural to show gothic ideals is present in the three short stories through use of word choice, plot, and dialogue . D. Transition: Authors have many ways into expressing the supernatural, one of them is through word choice. All body paragraphs should have quotes from the stories and from outside sources.

Science essay on Process and Secular Theology

Question: Describe about the Process and Secular Theology Essay? Answer: Process and Secular Theology Essay Religion can be defined as a way of life, or a set of practices which include both ritual as well as ethical behavior on the part of human beings, towards the supreme power or eternal power whom we call as the God. This essay illustrates the importance of theology, its nature, types and the views of various theologians like Bonhoeffer mainly on secular type of theology. This paper depicts a relationship between the secular theology and process theology which in turn shows the validity about the nature and existence of God. Theology is a science that studies God in its entirety. It attempts to understand the greatest creation of God, particularly the human beings and the faith, love, and awe which human beings have towards the supreme power The God. The science of theology is systematic and has its roots in the Bible, having its main source from the scriptures of the Old and New Testaments of the Bible. It uses the tools and methods of Christianity as a method of research. Theology also teaches about the ethics of Christian religion, preaching Christian education, church history and evangelism. Coming to the main point on the views of theologians, people like Dietrich Bonhoeffer and Paul Tillich are well known for their contributions towards the understanding of theology, its various aspects and its relationship with other types of theological interpretations, such as the relationship between process theology and secular theology. Tillich had a lot of influence upon Bonhoeffer in areas such as church, theology in revelation and culture. Bonhoeffer at first thought revelation to be a dialectical one, such that it was also affected by the thoughts from Paul Tillich. Later, Bonhoeffer argues opposite to understandings in revelation propounded by Tillich. Bonhoeffer also argues, revelations make vivid distinctions among theological and philosophical anthropology. The opinion of Bonhoeffer shows that the revelations in theological type of anthropology support human are life to be guidance by grace and guilt. By contrast, philosophical anthropology, cannot adopt these points of v iew about existence of human but at the same time need to understand the existence as a form of unconditional type of threat against need of humanity. As per Tillichs idea, religion would be a purer state of being and is always in the process of being grasped by some unconditioned facts. In his philosophy about religion Tillich describes elaborately about the faith and spirit of Human, and propound that faith would be unconditional and state of being concerned ultimately. Process theologies refers to a family of theological ideas with origin from meta-physical orientation and are inspired by such orientation of the philosopher and mathematics expert Whitehead and American philosopher Hartshorne. The process theology agrees with the fact of God being immutable, eternal as well as impassible in nature, also the same do contradict with classical views by claiming the fact of God being somewhatmutable, temporal and also passible buy nature. But according to Tillich's theology, God's revelations to own creatures must be correlated with condition under which the creatures posses their being, that is, the condition of existence. Process theologists are of the opinion that, God is the supreme power but he cannot dominate over a persons freedom or liberty, nor he can do any magic so that laws of nature are not violated nor God can perform physical actions such as causing or halting a natural calamity like halting a flood. To this concept critics have argued th at this make God not worshipful. Process theology is similar to that of neo-theism. According to the neo-theists God has the power which is finite and his conditional knowlege of the free creatures (finitism) does not allow him to destroy the evil. Secular theology on the other hand is more similar to the theological movement known as neo-orthodoxy. Human life is constantly changing and this transformation in human life has occurred with the development of modern science and technology, with the advancement of science and technology the belief in God the supreme power is diminishing day by day. For example, in the past, bearing a child in a mothers womb was considered as Gods grace, but now we are producing testable babies. Scientific advancement has made human being capable of dealing with own problems. In secular theology there is a movement in which God is considered as dead. Blitzer opines that once Jesus was crucified, the divinity ceased and he became a common man. According to Bonheoffer God always wanted his persons be as independent and hence he gradually left certain things to be done by man. But that did not mean that God did not exist at all. References Shiner, Larry (1976). The Concept of Secularization in Empirical Research, Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion, 6, no. 2, pp. 207-220. Du Toit, Cornel W. (2006). Secular spirituality versus secular dualism : towards postsecular holism as model for a natural theology, HTS : Theological Studies, vol. 62, no.4,, pp.1251-1268 Hamilton, W. A (1962). Secular Theology for a World Come of Age, Theology Today, 18, pp. 435-459 Tillich Paul, (1947). The Problem of Theological Method: II, The Journal of Religion, vol. 27, no. 1, pp. 16-26 Keightley David N. (1978). The Religious Commitment: Shang Theology and the Genesis of Chinese Political Culture, History of Religions, vol. 17, no. 3/4, pp. 211-225 Berger, Peter L. (1967). A Sociological View of the Secularization of Theology, Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion, vol. 6, no. 1, pp. 3-16.

Is “Scientific Management” Still Relevant in a Predominantly Service Economy Essay Example

Is â€Å"Scientific Management† Still Relevant in a Predominantly Service Economy Essay Is â€Å"Scientific management† still relevant in a predominantly service economy? Discuss Service economy means increase the importance for a service sector in industrialized economies. In order to develop this economy in better condition is focusing on the management between humans to productions or humans. Taylors scientific management theory was established on purpose of achieving a maximal labour productivity and the high efficiency by introducing scientific and standard management method into work process.It was one of the oldest attempts to apply science to the engineering of processes and to management. This essay will argue that scientific management is still relevant in a predominantly service economy. The reasons for this statement contains that the manufactories could improve efficiency, the reasonable award system with the scientific management and through the interest of consumers to influence the decisions of business and states. Firstly, Taylors theory of scien tific management has built an efficiency mode for the managers in the early 20th century throughout American and Europe.Freeman believed that the theory could be used effectively for works with knowledge as well as physical work by introducing a science for each movement in the working process (Freeman, 1996). With the development of the worlds economy, service economy is becoming predominant nowadays. For example, it is predicted that the service companies account for larger proportion in the current list of Fortune 500 companies than manufactures in this day and age. Therefore, service companies also need scientific method for management. Task idea’ of Taylor’s argument could fit into the economy in the recent days. All the work is carefully planned by the management beforehand including written instructions, task details, time limits as well as tools to be used. In terms of task idea’, Freeman argued that a modern interpretation like planned out becomes plann ing, while complete written instructions are replaced by the work order (Freeman, 1996). According to Freeman, scientific management has revised principle to cover the lack of effective only in heavy physical work place such as heavy lifting and shovelling coal and ash.For instance, in the concept of management control, it means using a minimum waste of human and material energies to bring a maximum of human welfare and contentment (Freeman, 1996). From this perspective, we can refer that scientific management is still relevant to todays service economy but it could be used in a new interpretation. Secondly, with regards to measurement of employees performance, Taylor’s theory is relevant for reasonable award system. It was presented in the call center case that the measurement of employee performance by Taylorist is both quantitative and qualitative (Bain et al. 002). The quantitative factors contains how many calls answered in a day and how long it takes while qualitative f actors refer to the soft elements such as knowledge and relevant skills. The job in a call center carries multi-tasks, services and functions; therefore it requires high levels of skill, knowledge and experience. Taylors theory is likely playing its role in workers daily movements and continuing efforts to require target-setting (Bain et al. 2002).Call center is a typical service company in which all the staff are required not only quantitative output but also qualitative abilities such as communication skills and problem solving skills. It leads to more competition between workers in order to get the benefit from managers. Specifically, also in service economy, employers pay more attention on the customers that whether the customers get good service from their employees or not. The reasonable award system from scientific management makes employees do their jobs more carefully and consumers get â€Å"warm† from employees’ service.So the theory still survived in managem ent system. Furthermore,scientific management rises the capacity of consumer interest to impact the decision of business and state. Taylor threw himself into the effect of National Consumers League’s (NCL) to control the activity which could make managers more enthusiastic to their workers. In this way, the labor will get satisfaction on their work (Mclean and Tyson, 2006). For example, because NCL that a case passed a law which set a maximum working hour for females in 1908.Although it was a little step in the whole industries, it caused a revolution for the management which gives employees more freedom about their private time. On the other hand, the society could share benefit which in low price of recourse (Mclean and Tyson, 2006). In service economy, the recourse may be some invisible resource, like human recourse and business model. According to both concepts, scientific management is used positively in nowadays. Nonetheless, scientific management theory has its limits in service economy in terms of employees self motivation.Under scientific management workers had quite few opportunities for further thinking, experimenting or suggestion making. Caldari (2007) emphasis a harmony between managers and workers to produce a high income and good margin while Taylorist emphasis on a precised separation between managers and labour (Caldari, 2007). Therefore the theory need to be improved when apply to modern management. In conclusion, management theories play an important role in enterprises management, which teaches managers how to be a better boss, and how to motivate employees to be more professional person.Taylors scientific management theory had been wildly used in manufacturing entities through America and Europe in the last century because it helped managers effectively make use of sources and improve working efficiency. In addition, it may help managers organize and concordance the resource and labours perfectly. This essay show that Taylors scien tific management theory is still in predominantly service economy by providing reasons. However, it needs to be improved and adapted into modern management system. The service economy injects more critical management to face different business environment.Scientific management would be expansion on psychology and activities of human. Reference Bain,P. , Watson, A. , Mulvey, G. , Taylor, P. ; Gall, G 2002, ‘Taylorism, targets and the pursuit of quantity and quality by call centre management’, New Technology, Work and Employment,Vol. 17,no. 3: 170-185,Viewed 19 March 2011, EBSCOhost Business Source Premier, UNSWLIBRARY SIRIUS. Caldari, K. 2007, ‘Alfred Marshalls critical analysis of scientific management’ Euro. J. History of Economic Thought, Vol. 14 no. 1 pp55-78 Viewed 19 March 2011. EBSCOhost Business Source Premier, UNSWLIBRARY SIRIUSFreeman, M. 1996, ‘Scientific management: 100 years old; poised for the next century’. SAM Advanced Management Journal, Vol. 61, no. 2, pp 35-41 Viewed 20 March 2011, EBSCOhost Business Source Premier, UNSWLIBRARY SIRIUS. Mclean, T Tyson, T 2006, ‘Standard Costs, Standard Costing and the Introduction of Scientific Management and New Technology into the Post-Second World War Sunderland Shipbuilding Industry’, Accounting, Business and Financial History, vol. 16, no. 3, viewed 25 March 2011, pp. 389-417, EBSCOhost Business Source Premier, UNSWLIBRARY SIRIUS.

Film Review on Kimjongilia

Film Review on Kimjongilia Kimjongilia is a documentary film directed by Heikin which features the stories of escapees and survivors of prison camps in North Korean during the dictatorship regime led by Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-iI.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Film Review on Kimjongilia specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More It is based on various interviews taken from residents of North Korea, people of all ages and status, who had survived the Kim’s leadership era in North Korea and was forced to leave their country due to difficult, repressive conditions there and settle in nearby states, such as China and South Korea. The escapees included prostitutes, a North Korean military, a piano performer, and a woman dancer. The film is mainly a story generated from interviews of residents who escaped dictatorship regime in North Korea between 1992 and 2006. Actually, the term ‘Kimjongilia’ is a flower which was created by a botanis t in Japan and named after the former ruler, Kim Jong-iI, to commemorate Japanese-Korean comradeship. The flower that is frequently referred to in the film symbolizes peace, justice, love, and wisdom. The documentary film focuses on the cruelty of the North Korean despotism and the hopeless status which the residents of North Korea, the people who experienced oppression and starvation every day, had. The movie also interviewed a victim and defector of the Kim era, Shin Dong-hyuk, who was born in camp 14 and narrates the tales of his unfavorable experiences at this maximum security camp established by Kim government. Most people who existed in this regime, like Shin’s parents, were killed in the camp, but Shin was lucky to survive long enough to break away eventually from this camp and settled in the neighboring country.Advertising Looking for essay on art and design? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More One excitin g story which is encountered in the movie was the way a former North Korean Army commander waited for around 10 years planning to run away from Kim regime due to the manner in which Kim regime was doing to his country. The commander eventually ran away through sailing a small boat 300 miles to Incheon as he avoids the government’s patrol which was guarding the sea. He was accompanied by his family members because he was worried that they may become separated if they attempt to defect through China. His effort to escape was successful and he is an honest detractor of the Kim government. He stated that when the Kim system ends, he would be prepared to return to North Korea immediately to support restructure his country. Through the information, assistance, interviews, and informative dance of North Korean outlandish representatives, which are provided by the film, the viewers are informed about the facts which they are already aware of. They are told that Kim Jong-iI, the dicta tor with black bouffant, was among the world cruelest dictators who were on the loose. He seemed to be insane and acquired a reputation of being a ruthless tyrant which will be passed on to the next generations. The director, Heikin, reflects her vision of the ‘Dear Leader’ in a creative and passionate way that changes unhappy facts into an entirely important realm. The film narrates about a woman who was kidnapped and sold into slavery in China and tells also about a boy who was taken to a camp at the age of nine since his grandfather had been found guilty for political crime. A woman who died due to fever was taken into China by her brother who was afterward murdered attempting to return to North Korea to provide food for his parents due to severe hunger which most people were experiencing in Kim regime.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Film Review on Kimjongilia specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The fi lm also tells about a pianist who stated that he was forced to perform common tasks and surrender his music. The film exposed how Kim regime would target the whole family of defectors and penalize at least one member of that family at a time, including brothers, sisters, and at times more distant relatives. The film also talks about the way Kim Il-sung acquired the leadership in North Korea and inheritance of the power by his son Kim Jong-iI. The movie narrates an appealing story of humans heartbreaking and the way the entire country started suffering from almost every event and activities taken by the dictator. North Korea requested for international support because its citizens were experiencing severe hunger due to poor leadership. As North Koreans are experiencing unthinkably great sufferings, China barely obtains a status of state abiding human rights because of the way it handles escapees entering into the country. The movie shows that North Korean women are sold regularly int o white slavery and all the refugees face brutal torture. For example, Kim Cheol-woong talks about hours of torments to which Chinese officers subjected him. Some scenes are actually more frightening than some horror films ones. It is unbearable to watch huge population participating on a parade, raising the flags, singing and glorifying the leader whom nobody likes and everybody fears, but still keeps on praising. These scenes portray fear and horror which North Koreans are experiencing, and this is really scary to appear in such a situation. The shocking story from the documentary film does not only portray the expected horror of sufferings, killings, malnutrition and torture, but also shows the regular brainwashing which formed a superhuman personality cult of the country’s rulers and keeps the whole country ignorant of the situation in the outside world. This is the situation which Heikin strengthens through the addition of alternative archival material, mainly the films of propaganda and recordings of the citizenship pageantry in the country.Advertising Looking for essay on art and design? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The moviemaker provides several recordings of the interviews, but very little archival data of the North Korea itself. The viewers are left to figure out the conditions of the country, apart from the interviews which are represented in the film. Performance art reveals the emotions and reactions on the things narrated by the escapees and survivors in their stories. It was a very imaginative solution to this issue, and I admire the manner in which Heikin covers the identities of the victims of the North Korean regime. Some interviewees are frightened that the government may recognize them when talking about the conditions in the country and testifying against its leaders. The director uses effective methods to cover their identities. The extreme close-ups are applied throughout the film, thus tearful eyes, gasping mouth, and moving hands appear on the screen during their interviews. This approach is very effective in protecting identities of the subjects. The movie depicts a clear ca se of how people of the same nation and culture can have different views and behaviors and these bring about overwhelming outcomes. Some interviewees comment that if these conditions carry on for another ten years, the entire nation might collapse. I agree with their opinion because the situation in North Korea is really disastrous. Emphasized by Heikin’s devices, the horrors of life of both the survivors of the North Korean prison camps and the escapees prove this statement.

5 Reasons to Create a Savings Plan Today

5 Reasons to Create a Savings Plan Today If you do not have a savings plan that you are following, you need to create one as soon as possible. Failing to plan for your current and future financial needs isnt just irresponsible, it can have devastating consequences. If you do not have savings and face an emergency, you could find yourself homeless, or simply hopelessly behind on bills. A savings plan can help you to get through hard times, and it can help you create a strong financial future for yourself and your family. Still not convinced to start a savings plan today? Here are 5 reasons to create a savings plan today. 1. Everybody Needs to Have an Emergency Fund Having an emergency fund that you can dip into is absolutely imperative. If you do not create a savings plan, you cannot budget putting the necessary money into savings. Emergency funds can be used for unexpected car repairs, travel expenses, medical bill co-payments in the event of illness or injury, or for a variety of other purposes. The specific amount you save for emergencies depends on your exact situation. If you are a working adult who owns a home, you might set a goal of saving a years worth of salary in the case of an emergency. If you are a college student with a part time job, you may be okay with a few thousand dollars. 2. You Will Avoid Going Into Debt Once you have a savings plan in place, you can plan for future expenses. This includes setting up an emergency fund as mentioned above, but it also includes planning to save for things that you want and inevitable expenses. Here are some examples of these: Putting money away for upcoming vacations Saving to buy presents for the holidays Budgeting for higher utility bills when the seasons change Saving to purchase fun items such as electronics If you dont save for these expenses, you will either do without, or worse, you will go into debt using credit cards. 3. You Will Know Where Your Money is Going One of the major contributing factors to financial problems is failing to understand where and how you are saving your money. A good savings plan forces you to track expenses in addition to simply putting money into a savings account. The reason for this is that if you are unintentionally overspending, you are essentially stealing savings account funds from yourself. When you force yourself to write down everything that you spend, you are also forced to confront where you are wasting money. If you have ever ended a day with no money to spare, you will benefit greatly by starting a savings plan and tracking your spending. 4. You Can Begin Setting Both Short and Long Term Savings Goals You need a financial plan in action to be able to set and achieve short and long term financial goals. As mentioned above, you may have short term goals such as making minor purchases and taking vacations, but financial planning also allows you to get and to reach long term goals. For example, you may wish to put money away for retirement, a major once in a life time vacation, a down payment on a house, and you definitely want to save for your retirement. It is never to soon to start accumulating savings for these major life goals. However, you cannot make any of your big plans come to bear fruit if you do not take the time to write out a solid savings plan. 5. You Will be More Likely to be Credit Worthy in The Future People who create and stick to a savings plan tend to be better at financial planning as a whole. They are also more likely to understand how credit works. This includes the importance of paying off debt quickly, only taking on good debt, shopping for good interest rates, and using cash and debit cards to pay for the vast majority of your expenses. Sticking to a savings plan is also a great way to develop a strong sense of financial self discipline. This comes in extremely handy if you want to build and maintain a great credit rating for the future. There you go! 5 excellent reasons to sit down and create a financial plan today, and there are many other reasons as well. Take the time today to formulate a financial plan, and then stick to it. In the future, you will be very glad that you did. What do you think? Do you have a financial plan in action? Are you a spender or saver? What money lessons have you learned? If you have any questions or comments, we would love to hear from you.

A5 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

A5 - Essay Example There needs to be clear processes of setting up goals for the benefit of the partners. The inter-organizational systems need to be effective to facilitate the flow of information between the collaborating organizations. This essay is a critique of the enabling telecommunication and distributed connectivity technologies utilized by Microsoft and SAP in their collaboration. SAP is one of the principle providers of software for businesses, which are significant for improving the capacity of the business to be innovative for better service delivery to clients. It is the unending quest for better services that has made SAP to grow to the current status. The organization has been capable of establishing clients in more than 100 countries, which is an indicator of the success that the company has accomplished in less than 20 years. SMEs as well as organizations in the international market are major clients of SAP. On the other hand, Microsoft is a major computer software company that is distinguished globally for its significant software solutions. The paper describes the inter-organizational systems as well as a description of the organizations’ inter-organizational systems.  It also highlights how these systems are used to define and support the partnership, ranging from management considerations to specific telecommunication and networking archi tectures used to support the collaboration. Microsoft and SAP are two global companies have been successful in establishing a strong collaboration whereby each partner benefits from the association. The most significant collaboration between the two organizations is through Mendocino, which is a project whereby each organization contributes towards transformation of the manner in which clients are served by the employees involved in handling information. The project empowers the personnel involved in information handling in SAP to become more accurate and efficient. Microsoft designed the project with the aim of helping

Chapter 6 and ch 9 Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Chapter 6 and ch 9 - Article Example The case study has rightly highlighted the plea of an 80-year-old woman, who could not handle the hot coffee properly, resulting in her splitting same on her ankles. The judge has passed the right decision. However, there cannot be any hard rules that can specify the ethical responsibilities to be matched with the product quality, as each individual case is different. This is a case of â€Å"might is right†. The bigger companies with huge funds for market promotion use â€Å"slotting fees† phenomenon as a method to increase their sales volume. However, this keeps the smaller and medium manufacturers out of the competition. On the other hand, the customers who are satisfied with lesser-known brands may not be able to find these products on the shelves of a store. The market economy does not require that bigger sharks eat away the smaller fishes. Instead, it allows the fair competition to grow in a healthy manner. In addition, the established companies may not even try to improve their product quality as they ensure their increased sales through such

Collective Consensus Theory Essay Example for Free

Collective Consensus Theory Essay Social norms can be defined as The rules that a group uses for appropriate and inappropriate values, beliefs, attitudes and behaviors. These rules may be explicit or implicit. Failure to stick to the rules can result in severe punishments, the most feared of which is exclusion from the group. A common rule is that the some norms must frequently be displayed; neutrality is seldom an option. Here I include other norms, which are as follows: a. ) Injunctive Norms – These are behaviors, which are perceived as being approved of by other people. b. ) Descriptive Norms – The perceptions of how other people are actually behaving and whether their behavior is accepted or not. c. ) Explicit Norms written or spoken openly. d. ) Implicit Norms not openly stated (but you find out when you trespass them). e. ) Subjective Norms How we will behave with others who valued us. f. ) Personal Norms – Knowing our standards about our own actions. By exploring social norms and inequalities, let me be more specific, about the Americans Inequalities in American society have become so institutionalized that we rarely recognize most of them on a daily basis. Some are glaringly obvious: the privileges of the elite, the boss ability to come and go as he pleases- but these inequalities are sustaining, obvious, and dont hurt as much because we are conditioned to accept them Some inequalities change as certain circumstances change. The type of social stratification I wish to discuss is ever changing, weve all experienced it, but have we all noticed it? We like to think we live in a classless, multicultural society where everyone is treated equally. Frankly we are deluded. Of course there are classes, and not everyone is treated equally. The classes in our world are based on race, ethnicity, education and politics. Of the phenomenons of social stratification is social inequality, which is the distribution of resources dividing society into rank, grades, family, religion and education. These divisions should not occur in our society, but it is the sad truth that it does. Ethnicity is different to race as ethnicity is a distinct cultural definition which people identify with as customs, family patterns and religion. The sociologist, Max Weber, defines ethnic groups as human groups that entertain a subjective belief in their common descent because of physical type or of customs or of both or because of memories of colonialisation or migration. The biggest problem that arises in race and ethnic relations is prejudice, which is born out of pre-judgment and lack of knowledge. The Sociological causes of prejudice are: 1. It draws together people who share it; superiority is important. This is an element of Emile Durkheims Collective Consensus Theory. 2. Competing for resources. It is easier to get things if you can write others off as less deserving. 3. We can project onto others, who we think are lesser than us, those parts of ourselves that we dont like. The prejudices against those we think are different have negative consequences such as limiting our vision of the world. But far worse is its effect on society; it leads to discrimination and the consequence of discrimination is inequality. For Karl Marx, inequality was seen as a dichotomy based on the relations of production and the concept of class is the basic indicator of inequality. Weber saw inequality as three abstracted mechanisms of power; class (economic power), status (social prestige power) and party (political power). Whichever way it is described, inequality is found everywhere, between class, in education, health, occupations and power and within classes with sex, age, ethnicity and religion. However, there is hope in the end, for people can be socially mobile, which is the movement of people between social classes. Societys idea is that if you work hard enough you will move up in society, but this is not always true. People can move downwards in the social scale, or may start on the bottom and stay there because they do not have the same access to education as others may have. These people have less opportunities than others yet they are looked down upon because they are not upwardly mobile. How can people move up socially if they are not on an equal playing field to begin with? As long as people continue acting the way they do, inequality and racism will exist. Education is the key, and while older people may be set in their ways and may not be willing to change their views, we must educate the children, who are are future. Children must be taught that all people are equal and that thinking otherwise is wrong. For it is wrong. We were all created equal. Man made us not so. As per my view, when we live in a society were abiding by social, personal, or subjective norms, which are laid out for social and societal living is of utmost significance; I tend to stick to those norms and also inculcate the same things to people who are not aware of them. Man is a social animal, who needs to be trained to adapt different changes in societal environment. He has to abide by the norms laid out by the society to be accepted socially and morally, or else he/she is treated as a aborigine or uncivilized.

Urban Legend of the The Monsters Chase Essays -- Urban Legends

The Monster's Chase Background and Story It was late on a weekday night a couple of weeks ago when I was unexpectedly told an urban legend by a friend of mine in my dorm. I brought up a report I had to prepare about a local urban legend and my desire to find someone who knew a tale of the â€Å"Goatman,† a famous figure in folklore. My friend immediately recounted to me a story about a hairy monster that sounded rather similar. He had been told the story by a member of his group one night at a youth hostel in Japan during an organized trip. The person who told him the story originally is from western Maryland. One night on this trip, we were in the hostel at night and one of the guys in the group told us a story about this monster. He said this actually happened to him. He lives out in western Maryland, further west and north than Montgomery and Frederick counties. He and his girlfriend had snuck out to a party one night and were returning when they decided to stop at McDonald’s to get dinner. They pulled over by the side of the road they were traveling on, knowing that the McDonald’s was through a short tract of woods on the side of the road. About halfway through the woods a furry monster, black as space, with bright red eyes and sharp white teeth [embellishes features with gestures], appeared and started chasing them. They turned around and sprinted back to their car. They got inside, and the monster caught up and started banging on their doors and windows. The car started, and they burned rubber driving off, but they noticed that another car had pulled up [and par ked] behind theirs. The monster man got into his car and also peeled off, chasing after them [performs hand motions for two cars]. After a couple m... ... whim and rather than drive to it, pull over and choose to cross through woods because it saves them time. They’ve been out having fun, and the dangers of dark woods by a lonely road at night don’t concern them. This carelessness nearly costs them. The disappearing tire tracks the next day help to add to the message, they could’ve been killed and disappeared, and the killer wouldn’t have even left a trace. Works Cited Conley, Brian. â€Å"The Bunny Man Unmasked†. Fairfax County, Virginia. Accessed 4/7/06. http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/library/branches/vr/bunny/bunny.htm. â€Å"The Goatman†. GOATMAN. Accessed 4/7/06. http://www.geocities.com/Area51/Aurora/4746/feature2.html. â€Å"GoatMan Hollow: The Legend†. GoatMan Hollow. Accessed 4/7/06. http://users.dsdial.net/~goatman/legend.htm. Matthews, Patricia. â€Å"Goatman†. Fantasy and Science Fiction. May 1995. 54-68.

Altruism & prosocial behaviour Essay

Altruism, a form of prosocial behaviour had been one of many enduring questions social psychologists have investigated. Psychologists have attempted to explain altruism in terms of a person’s willingness to help at a cost. It has been defined by Walster and Piliavin (1972) as ‘ helping behaviour that is voluntary, costly to the altruist and motivated by something other than the expectation of material and social reward. This essay will look at research surrounding or reasons for altruistic behaviour. Much debate surrounds this topic as it s often unclear whether behaviour is truly altruistic or egoistic (seeking personal reward). Cardwell 1966 suggested that the primary motivation for helping someone is seen as a desire to improve the welfare of another person rather than the anticipation of some reward. One explanation of altruistic behaviour was attempted by Weiner 1986 who analysed the cause in terms of attribution of responsibility. These attributions create emotional responses, which motivates action or inaction. Attribution to uncontrollable causes such as illness or disability tends to produce sympathy, which results in helping. Attribution to controllable causes such as drunkenness produces anger, which inhibits helping behaviour. This was demonstrated in Piliavin study of ‘subway Samaritan 1969’. Weiner theory is one of many that tried to explain altruism. Batson empathy altruism hypothesis explains altruistic behaviour in terms of empathy. Witnessing another person in distress creates empathic concern, which motivates helpers to try to relieve their persons distress. Again the reason for helping could be egoistic ‘I should help him to make me feel better’ or altruistic ‘I have got to help him so that he feels better’. In Batson et al’s study of the empathic condition 1981, he found that the female students in the high empathy condition were much more likely to help the confederate even when they are in a position to escape from this responsibility. As shown by Batson and his colleagues people help for reasons other than for their own self interest. But it is possible that people who help in such situations do so to avoid punishment such as social disapproval. It is also possible that people help simply to avoid feeling bad about themselves. However, this does not appear to explain why empathic concern motivating helping (Fultz et al 1986). Studies such Batson et al 1988 cast doubt on these claims. This view of altruistic behaviour is very important, not only does it contradict the assumption that all motivation is directed towards the egoistic goal of increasing our own welfare but contradicts the notion that human nature is self serving. Another model of altruism is a negative relief model (Cialdini et al 1987) which suggest that when we are experiencing negative states we are motivated to alleviate this condition by helping others. This is personally rewarding and eliminates the negative state. Therefore the motivation for helping is egoistic. This model states that the primary objective of helping behaviour is the enhancement of our mood. Cialdini 1987 carried out an experiment similar to Batson study on ’empathic condition’. This time, just before requesting for help was made, the researcher either offers a bonus or heaps of prayers. The bonus made no difference however, those who received praise were still motivated to help. This demonstrated that under some conditions experiencing a mood lifting event may lessen our motivation to relieve our own negative state by helping others. Cialidini research although showing some evidence of helping for egoistic reasons does also seem to support Batsons more optimistic view of human nature. Smith et al 1989 developed a model empathy joy hypothesis that assumes we enjoy other people’s relief at being helped and so we help others because we are rewarding by their happiness. In Smith’s et al’s study on feedback Smith used a phrase ‘helpers high’ claiming that people get satisfaction when they see that the people they have helped feel better. It has been predicted that if we get feedback it encourages helping behaviour. Batson 1991 argues that another factor that determines altruistic behaviour is the similarity to the person who needs help. We are more likely to feel emphatic concern when we a close attachment with the person in need. As the studies were lab experiments, there was the problem of experimental validity, did the participants believe the situation is real. The experiment was conducted in an artificial environment, which makes it difficult to generalise to real situation and therefore the result shave low ecological validity. Also there were the limitations of experimenter – participant relationship, demand characteristics and the outcome could have been due to the participants knowing that they were being observed. Even though the studies have their limitations they have made a radical contribution to psychological research. The results also vary across cultures and so will also depend on the era pf that culture. It can be seen therefore that research into altruism has emphasised the complexity of the motivations and factors involved when deciding to help someone or not. These studies have clarified causes why some people help and why some do not.

American Colonies: The Settling of North America

Alan Taylor is a well-known historian who is more concerned in presenting the different aspects of history and how they happened based upon the behavioral challenges that face the human communities through the passing generations. According to his further assessments, the human behavior developments naturally affect the way by which the history goes on in accordance with the plans of the people primarily in authority of changing the story of human generations.This idea of identifying the power of humans to change their path and the path of progress of the human society through the decisions that they are making has been obviously shown through his book entitled: â€Å"American Colonies: The Settling of North America†. Through this book, he primarily outlines the different procedures of change that humans gone with through the passing years of history. HE makes it clear through this reading that the motives of humans with regards certain situations usually makes up the ways tha t history actually turns out to be.HE naturally shows that the â€Å"evil† factor that has been posted by other historians within the name of the Europeans or the whites in particular is not actually innate but has been pushed through by the primary situations that occurred during the past years in human development. About the Book The book of Taylor shows the procedures by which humans were able to discover slavery and later on were freed from it through their own motives of historical change.The book has been further subdivided into three parts, considerably the encounters, the colonies and the Empires. Through these sections, the different pictures of human development have been shown in a progressive state. This book has been noted for its specific strength in showing the description of the aspects that actually shaped the colonial age in the American territories. The book also identifies the major reasons behind the development of history towards the present situation of the American Society.Content and Summary Most of the historical accounts written about the American past fails to address the different points of consideration that helps readers understand and feel the essence of the stories behind a historical matter with regards a certain event as per presented within the narratives. Moreover, the presentations made by other historians point out that the American race has been made to prosper ever since it first started to exist in the world map.Most likely, the said historians become too much nationalistic during their process of writing that at some point they are able to present the other nationalities of human population present within the historical events in a negative picture. On the other hand, the book of Taylor does away with this particular mistake that other historians commit in writing the outlines of America’s past. On the other hand, Taylor was able to balance his views with regards history and the actual situations that ha ppened then.Being objective in every presentation is a primary strength obviously noticeably in the book of Taylor. Taylor actually cited the different essays of other writers who discussed the same issues with regards the history of America. In this regard, he was able to present the situation of the American History in a more effective way and objective view as he aims to make it easier for the readers to understand the main idea being presented through history. In his accountable presentations, Taylor noted the years of slavery in the American history.Unlike other historians however, he was able to show the years of slavery in a more reasonable perspective that does not put the White race in a jeopardized reputation of being evil just because they were the once that are noted for becoming the masters of the slaved races. The Indian Americans were also shown in the book of Taylor as a race that continues to struggle for freedom. In this matter however, the details as presented by the author notes that every race from every nation deserves to be free.Moreover, this want for freedom has been noted by the author as an innate nature among humans that must be provided by those who are in the position to do so. Forced labor particularly drew the line in the past of the American society. This fact actually makes it possible for the long line of enslaved races in the process of American Society’s progress towards the present freedom that the said country is enjoying at present. To summarize the entire content of the book, the three sections could be introduced in a brief statement.The first section on the encounters actually discusses the ways by which the American society has been discovered. This was when they were helped by the other races to evolve and to stand as one society in union. However, the said state has been shortened as the years of colonizing among the huge countries against the less-influential ones came into the picture. Most of the details actually show that other races began to take advantage of the resources of the country as well as the labor that they could provide for the mentioned nations.The years of imperialism as empires began to flourish even made the situation even worse. Hence, the people were less able to fight for themselves. However, as detailed by Taylor, the American society was not at a rested acceptance of the situation that they were currently in during that part of the history. Their want of being free from slavery and unwanted authority from the foreign nations made it easier for them to spur the feelings of nationalism. A feeling that in turn actually lead to a more serious aim of becoming free from the grasp of the foreigners.That want made it easier for them to create possible ways in which they could attain freedom through rebellious movements as well as diplomatic arrangements with the other country’s administration making it harder for them to progress as a unified and free society. Starvation among the natives of the country during the colonization until the imperialism era has become a major problem that made it certain for the natives to search for a better process of attaining the resources that they need.Again, this need has been noted to have an impact on the want of the American society in being free form the snares and effects of slavery in their community. Overall Recommendation and Critique of the Reading True, men have been shedding blood through history. Because of war and continues disputes among nations, the clashing principles of governments, many soldiers die and some are becoming heroes of war because of the fact that they have courageously fought for the right thing that they believe in.However, it must be realized that wars are not the only way by which humans could prove their courage and their loyalty to their nation’s dignity. Through the ability of man to do what is good for the majority shall also proclaim an individual the hero t hat he is inside. Through the notable situations that governed the American history, Taylor has shown the capabilities of the entire American community to make it towards social progress through the courage that they have within themselves.One more thing, the reading made by Taylor helps individuals see the fact that every individual is rightfully disposed off to wanting the effects of being free. Hence, as a human society, the Americans once wanted to be freed, and now, enjoying that particular privilege has actually made it possible for them to attain the best possible way of becoming successful in any field of national interest that they aim to pursue as a country.Taylor’s book is indeed a fine read and a clear picture of the ability of humans to fight with courage and strong will. Giving clarity to the said ability of humans, the â€Å"American Colonies† is a book recommended for everyone who wants to learn from the pages of history. Reference: Alan Taylor. (2002). American Colonies: The Settling of North America (The Penguin History of the United States, Volume1). Penguin (Non-Classics).

Will new machines perk up coffee sales essays

Will new machines perk up coffee sales essays 1. Challenges that Kraft and other coffee sellers face are numerous in terms of competition and trends. Brand-loyal premium coffee drinkers are flocking to Starbucks, which expects to achieve a net revenue growth of 20% in fiscal 2005 . In the supermarket, sales are being taken not only by lower-priced private label brands but also by upscale whole-bean and ground packaged coffee. Tea accounts for an approximate 38% share of overall coffee/tea dollar sales. The coffee market in the US has been slow growing. Between 2002 and 2003, coffee consumption decreased from 3.2 to 3.0 cups per day. 2. Developing their own brewing machines will provide a mechanism which will allow Kraft to sell the coffee pods used in those machines. Since Krafts is a closed system, users will be forced to buy only the pods manufactured by Kraft. 3. Krafts business model for its Tassimo coffeemaker is very similar to HPs model for its printers and cartridges. Both products utilize closed systems. Refills for both products are sold by the manufacturer and the machines wont work with refills that arent designed for the specific machine. If the consumer wants the HP refill or the Tassimo refill, he or she must pay the price. From a business perspective, this creates long-term financial relationships with the customer and maximizes profitability of the organization. This is evidenced by the fact that the machine itself is distributed by Braun (a division of Gillette) while the T-discs are manufactured and distributed by Kraft. It prevents the use of competitors pods (or cartridges), including those offered by low-priced private label brands. While remanufactured cartridges and refill kits are available for HPs printers, consumers report problems with print quality and difficulty refilling the cartridges. From a consumer perspective this means several things, not the least of which is c ...

3 Important Things All New Truck Drivers Need to Know

3 Important Things All New Truck Drivers Need to Know The trucking life sounds like it could be a country song: open road, deadlines to meet, lone soul getting it done. But the reality is that it’s a career like any other, and shares a lot of the same hard truths and anxiety points that affect people just starting out in any industry. Here are three things you should expect from your first year on the road. 1. It’s going to be tough out there.You’re literally putting in the miles. Maybe you’re homesick, or being in a truck cab for 20 hours a day isn’t quite what you thought it would be like. Many newbie truckers opt out during that first year, having decided that it wasn’t the right job for them. However, it’s important to know that if you can stick it out, life will get easier. Expect to make hard decisions about whether this is really the right choice for you.2. Your trucking company is just like any other workplace.Even though you’re not sitting in a cubicle for eight hours a da y, you will face some of the same workplace expectations and constraints as regular office workers. Set performance expectations with your bosses, and be open with them about your progress. Remember, someone is trusting you with their cargo- it can take time to build that trust and be able to have the kind of relationship where they know you’ll get it done.3.   You will need to be flexible.Things will not always go 100% as planned. There are so many variables out on the road (weather, traffic, the unpredictability of other drivers) that chances are at some point you’ll need to do some creative problem solving to get where you need to go. Whether that’s working with suppliers to correct a mistake (did Car Parts Inc. really order the 5 tons of cotton candy the warehouse just put on your truck?) or figuring out how to make a tight deadline when you’re two states away and the snow’s about to start, don’t stress. There’s always a solutio n, and even though you may need to come up with it on the fly, expect the unexpected and you’ll be able to make it through.Once you get through this adjustment period and you’re a veteran driver, it might be time to write that hit song about your experiences traveling the country in a big rig. But in the meantime, keep your eyes on the road and get ready for an interesting ride!Read More at greatcdltraining.com

Anishinabee social movment Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Anishinabee social movment - Research Paper Example For instance, Japanese immigrants were deported from the country as soon as the war ended. Blacks, women and especially the aboriginals faced racial discrimination from white settlers. The Indian Act, which was enacted in 1876, ensured that the government would control all lands belonging to the natives. It also aimed at assimilating Indians into western culture and abolishing their own customs. However, after serious coercing from Indian movements, the act was changed in favor of the natives in 1951. Key customs and cultural ceremonies that had been banned, such as pow-wow and potlatches, were reenacted. The natives, for the first time were allowed to own and drink alcohol; though the drinking was restricted to Indian reserves. By this time majority of Indians were still not allowed to vote. The few who enjoyed the benefits of voting were the enfranchised Indians, who were completely assimilated into the western culture. (Canada in the Making, n.d.) However, this rule was also abolished in 1960 when non-enfranchised Indians were allowed to vote in federal elections. Though it seemed that Indians were headed for the right direction, they were denied the right to govern themselves. Another blow came when Pierre Trudeaus came to power in 1968. Issuing a White Paper, he openly opposed treaty negotiations with the aboriginals. Furthermore, his government clashed with the natives on the land rights. As a result, they responded to him with a document dubbed Citizen Plus in 1970, later known as the Red Paper. Backed by a delegation of aboriginals and other Canadian citizens, the paper opposed all policies of the new regime. Eventually, the government accepted their radical proposals. (Canada in the making, n.d.) At the onset of the ‘70s, there were rapid reforms that uplifted several discriminatory laws affecting aboriginals. For instance, in 1969 Joseph Drybones was convicted for drinking outside the reserves. He fought the case up

Melting Pot or Mess Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Melting Pot or Mess - Essay Example To some, it may seem sensible to tighten American borders, to remove those from the country who are here illegally, and to enforce a stricter sense of security throughout the nation. However, there is no realistic way to do this. Immigration foes who realize this have then put forth another, easier barrier against the foreign hordes: proposing legislation to make English the official language of the United States. Mauro Mujica is one of the supporters of the movement to make English the American language. He cited in his research polls that show that, throughout the developed world, over 90% of adults believe that learning English is necessary for children to succeed. Because English is the "language of business, higher education, diplomacy, aviation, the Internet, [and] science"(Mujica 1) among other fields, it is something that every child must learn. Mujica asserts two reasons why such an already pervasive language should be made the official language of the United States. First, governments that provide bilingual services ultimately create linguistic ghettos that immigrants cannot escape. Mujica cites the 2000 census results that showed over 21 million Americans classified as "limited English proficient" - almost 8% of the population (Mujica 2). When children grow up in homes where they are not required to learn English, they struggle receiving a basic elementary education in American schools, and are relegated to the economic opportunities left to those who cannot speak English. Second, the cost of multilingual accommodation is an unfair burden on the rest of society. Mujica cites the billions of dollars spent annually on multilingual education; the fact that 15% of Los Angeles County's election budget goes to multilingual ballots and poll workers; traffic accidents caused by foreign drivers not understanding English instructions and warnings (Mujica 3-4). It would seem that accommodating other languages is not an option that Americans can afford. However, given the fact that immigrants are not going to just up and leave, just like their predecessors from Italy, Germany, Ireland and Poland did not leave in the face of prejudice in the early 1900's, it can be argued that denying speakers of other languages access to government services could be even more costly than accommodating them is. Thomas Ricento agrees with Mujica's assertion that English is the language of success: he asserts that immigrants want to learn English as a supplement to their own languages, not as a replacement. He sees the linguistic enclaves not as ghettos but as nurturing communities providing a link between the old culture and the American one, much like the old neighborhoods in Northeastern cities that used to be separated by varying European backgrounds (Ricento 3). Additionally, while short-term social costs might decline if multilingual services were removed, the longer-term costs would skyrocket. Immigrants would not leave the country but would in stead let health problems worsen, leading to higher medical costs; their children might be forced out of their schools but would then cause problems later on as unemployed, uneducated adults (Ricento 5). Governor William Dempster Hoard of Wisconsin had this to say about the right of children to education in English: "The child

English Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 15

English - Essay Example Thus he learns that money cannot buy happiness even if it might give all outward appearances of doing so. Having finally discovered the location of his old friends, Candide emancipates them all from their Turkish slave owners only to find that even luxurious togetherness is not sufficient to keep everyone happy. Although they have a beautiful country home, they find themselves only fighting amongst themselves and making each other very unhappy. In the end, the story indicates that despite any optimism felt by the characters, or the attainment of their hopes and dreams, happiness or contentment does not follow. Voltaire’s book illustrates the evils he felt were most prevalent in his society. Produced during the Enlightenment era, the novella illustrates many of the prevailing themes of the times, which often revolved around questions of human values and â€Å"inherited intellectual authority.† â€Å"By the time the Enlightenment reached its maturity †¦ there was a rough consensus among its leading thinkers in regard to certain key themes: rejection of orthodox, scriptural Christianity †¦; conviction of the superiority of modern over ancient thought †¦; extension of this natural-scientific model to a host of new social sciences †¦; and a proto-liberal political program, aimed at protecting what were now seen as the equal natural rights of individuals† (Wright 15). While Candide presents itself as a satire against optimism, it has been argued that this satire is instead a more in-depth look at how that optimism, so often associated with the Enlightenm ent, could be realized – by concentration on freeing oneself from an unhappy past, as the characters do when they wholeheartedly devote themselves to the cultivation of their garden rather than allowing themselves to wallow in their misery or luxury. Thus, when Candide says at the end

Analysis The Four Idols Essay Example for Free

Analysis The Four Idols Essay Francis Bacon’s in his essay named as â€Å"The Four Idols† is derived from the historical expression Novum Organum (1620). In the essay, he attempts to investigate the perception of an individual of reality based on their reasoning fallacies by extensive examples and thorough analysis. Francis Bacon has been credited through creating the scientific techniques, illustrations of this are apparent the presented literature. Bacon in his essay notes the four idols of cave, tribe, theater and marketplace are accountable for hindering the understanding of individuals of the world that surrounds them. The four idols are broken down to logical fallacies founded on: individual shortcomings, human nature, and philosophy ad language. Through his works, he writes to a vast audience in the early seventeenth century with a particularly insistent tone. Bacons ideas have withstood the time test and are still prevalent in the contemporary words. The 4 idols of tribe are significantly misunderstandings founded on the human nature unconscious tendencies. Bacon (548) asserts that human understanding usually proceeds from the incompetence, dullness, as well as, senses deceptions. There is usually more to what a person experience compares to what they sense physically, illustrating a sense to a person who is blind is not as fulfilling compared to witnessing it firsthand. Moreover, a person is not able to perceive fully anything in this globe, and this entails the most core ideas. Bacons continue through describing the beliefs which are erroneous; Bacon (546) notes that even though there shall be a vast numbers as well as, weight of instances to be found on the other side, it either despises or neglects. An additional misunderstanding of the tribe is that humans have tendencies of neglecting data, which does not support what they want so as to reach at desired conclusions. Therefore, humans are faced with misleading information based on their human nature. Francis progresses to explain the idols of the cave that are essentially misunderstanding, which are based on the individual preferences. Bacon (544) notes that for every person (notwithstanding the errors which are common to the human nature) has a den or a cave of their own, which discolors and refracts the light of the nature. Every person has their own preferences and tastes, and this can easily refract their facts perception. Moreover, Bacon (549) writes â€Å"men usually become attached to specific speculations and particular sciences. In his later years, Einstein worked is searching a correlation amid electromagnetism and gravity whilst ignoring the quantum mechanics due to the verity that it was not fitting into his nature perception. Presently, the theories of quantum mechanical theories are in essence unquestionable. This Provides a very good illustration of viewing the globe how one would prefer it rather than how it actually operates. The shortcomings of a person ought to be taken into consideration when observing nature and society. The Market place idol is illustrated as a logical hindrance that is based on language, especially word. Bacon describes the hindrances (545) to be established through the association of men with one another ad the unfit and ill words choice to a greater extent acts as an obstruction to understanding. This clearly indicates that the general populace can be misleading easily through the simple word choice that one uses in describing a specific topic. This is vital since as is seen the cotemporary world. A popular saying regarding the 9/11 attacks include â€Å"one man’s terrorist is the freedom fighter for the other†. This indicates how easily illustrated words can to a greater extent affect judgment. Correspondingly, words cannot illustrate someone or something exclusively. Lavinson indicates in the way to illustrate a flower. He notes that (255) when applying words, people should not fool themselves into deliberating that they are describing fully a real flower this is due to the fact that the word is not thing since one does not have the capability to describe anything completely. This is indeed powerful words which should be actualized. Whilst illustrating anything, there shall be always details that are going to be omitted either intentional or not, the only means through which one can understand truly anything is experiencing it. Hence, words are obstructive and misleading. Moreover, Francis describes the idols of the theater especially understanding founded on tradition, philosophy, or theology. Specifically, Bacon describes which through credulity, tradition, as well as, intelligence has to be attained (545) and later on minds of individuals who have been bruised with theology and religion. This indicates that the general population reality perception is sheltered to their culture and the means of thinking. In his article Villareal starts through describing the similarities amid Buddhist hell and Greek Valhalla (230) He argues â€Å"230† how another person culture can be hell to the other. He describes later that every point of reference of a culture is unique, and the definition of a specific event shall be very different compared to those observing that fundamentally, the means through which individuals usually perceive an event is entirely distinct compared to the culture that is far and different. Everything ranging from education, religion to the media usually affects the individual’s point of reference or the consciousness state. Villareal and Bacon indicate that the barrier can be broken through open-mindedness and awareness. At a first glance, the Ancient philosophies appear irrelevant to the contemporary times, but by media analysis and personal revelation, it is the modern thought backbone. Fundamentally, Human perception shall be at most times limited. To experience nature entirely one must take into consideration all the idols that hide them that govern the incapability of a person of possessing infinite knowledge appears unrealistic. Nonetheless, the attempt by Bacon is not fully in vain. The general populace should realize that there exist limits to their apprehension and should at all times be opening minded.

The Effect of the Kyoto-Protocol on the Earth Essay -- Environment Fos

The Effect of the Kyoto-Protocol on the Earth In the article â€Å"Global-warming Rules Begin Feb.16† by Traci Watson published in USA Today, Watson’s explanation is that this protocol on global warming is likely to have a ripple effect on the USA, even though U.S. leaders have bowed out of this treaty to avoid its potential impacts on the economy. It seems to other writers that carbon dioxide may not contribute so much to global warming and that this protocol will have a bad influence upon the economy. On the up side, however, the amount of fossil fuel use in the entire earth will certainly be decreased by the Kyoto Protocol. Consequently, improvement of air quality and environmental preservation in the entire earth should be promoted. The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change was adopted in 1992 to address global warming and was brought into force in 1994. The third session of the Conference of the Parties to UNFCCC (COP3) was held in Kyoto in 1997, where the Kyoto Protocol was adopted. The Protocol stipulates that 38 countries, including developed countries and economies in transition, will reduce their Green House Gases (GHGs) including CO2 respectively to total emissions 5.2% below the 1990 level during the period from 2008 to 2012. For example, reduction below 1990 levels of 8% is required for the EU, 7% for the U.S., 6% for Japan, and 0% for Russia. Even though the protocol was adopted, this treaty can take effect only if it gets approval from countries with an emissions cap whose aggregate 1990’s emissions is more than 55% of the total CO2 emissions in 1990 of capped parties. The share of the U.S. in 1990 was 36.1%, that of Japan was 8.5% and that of Russia was 17.4%. This treaty had go... ...l basis. Consequently, what I want to suggest is that the rate of fossil fuel use in the entire earth will be decreased by the Kyoto Protocol. It is clear that improvements at least in air quality and environmental preservation in the entire earth are promoted by the plan. Furthermore, there is still the possibility of GHG reductions mitigating global warming. Works Cited Patterson, Tim. †Climate Change.† EnviroTruth.org. 10 April 2002. Tatsuyoshi, Saijo. †The Kyoto Protocol and Global Environmental Strategies of the EU, the U.S. and Japan.† January 2002. < http://www.iser.osaka-u.ac.jp/~saijo/pdffiles/kpjan02.pdf> Watson, Traci. †U.S., Not Part of Kyoto Pact, Will Still Feel its Effects.† USA Today. 24 November 2004.

“An Outpost of Progress”: Ideology and Action

Simplifying the actions for both sides in relation to ideology, the inferior's actions are placed on a spectrum of accepting that ideology to rebelling against it and the superior on a spectrum of the action of imposing [his] own ideology to the lack of imposition. As stated earlier, due to there being a lack of action the superior is then able to potentially see the wrongs in [his] actions while the inferior is constantly stuck in a place of action without ability to reflect ? a victim's complex.The short story â€Å"An Outpost of Progress,† written by Joseph Conrad, speaks about the Individual and the crowd: â€Å"the courage, the composure, the confidence; the emotions and the principles; every great and every Insignificant thought belongs not to the Individual but to the crowd: to the crowd that believes blindly In the Irresistible Orca of Its Institutions and of its morals, In the power of Its police and of Its opinion† (Conrad 2). The idea Conrad gives that an ind ividual is only capable of thinking and/or believing what [his] environment suggests is meant to refer specifically to the colonizers (European) ideology.French essayist Albert Mermen would disagree with Concord's ideas about the crowd and the individual, however (similar to Conrad) his text The Colonizer and The Colonized places its focus on the flaws of the colonizers ideology rather than ideology in general. Though the intention f both texts is to give an outlook on a specific ideology and the way it should be questioned by colonized and colonizer alike, it is also a gateway to think deeper about and question Ideology ? one's own and other's ? In general.Looking only at religion and the evident religious aspects In the story and the act of colonization In general, both the colonized and the colonizers are subject to the Ideology of religion. Asserts and Carrier, the colonist characters, are Christian: Make (or â€Å"Henry Price†l a native, believes in â€Å"dark spirits. † The way the story ends can be interpreted two ways if the bat: the colonists give up (realizing defeat) or they realize the wrongs in their Christian European ideology and the act of forcing it upon others, even indirectly.Putting the focus on religion, one could say that the dark spirits Make believes in brought about the two men's downfall. Ignoring the idea of the dark spirits, Asserts and Carrier more likely had reflected upon their actions and realized the Christian faith and the corresponding ideology is not universal truth. Asserts and Carrier are how Mermen describes the colonist's eye or assumptions toward the colonized: Nothing could better Justify the colonizers privileged position than his Industry, and nothing could better Justify the colonized destitution than his Indolence.The mythical portrait of the colonized therefore Includes an unbelievable laziness, and that of the colonizer, a virtuous taste for action† (Mimi 123). The two men are said Mimi explai ns the colonist view point: â€Å"The point is that the colonized means little to the colonizer. Far from wanting to understand him as he really is, the colonizer is preoccupied with making him undergo this urgent change† (Mimi 127).For the Illinois to see Make as the opposite of what a native is supposed to be according to what they had been taught would be a shock of reality; being put into a new situation makes it so prior-assumptions can be replaced with real life observations. Based on observations made, the concept of forcing now actual people into slavery appears different. The initial ‘progress' for the colonist characters in general is to successfully colonize the new land, potentially halting progress for the colonized and their society.Mimi says, â€Å"What is clear is that colonization weakens the colonized ND that all those weaknesses contribute to one another† (Mimi 159). The progress changes meaning for colonizers and becomes more-so a sense of awa kening for the colonizer and carries a darker literal message: â€Å"Progress was calling to Asserts from the river. Progress and civilization and all the virtues. Society was calling to its accomplished child to come, to be taken care of, to be instructed, to be Judged, to be condemned; it called him to return to that rubbish heap from which he had wandered away, so that Justice could be done† (Conrad 16).Asserts had failed his session, but due to his realization and not [due to] a lack of ability to succeed. The two men died by acknowledging the fact that they were both â€Å"slave dealers,† [to them] a dirty thing to be which, once put out there, caused Asserts to kill his assistant and then commit suicide himself. The symbolism in Asserts' death relating to the crucifix is powerful and makes his intentions clear; Asserts realized the Christian religion and his European ideology were not the only way and that his people, himself inclusive, were forcing the native pe ople into something that was not correct.

Organic Food †Facts Essay

The word ‘Organic’ means ‘living’, and in practical terms, this means natural food that is grown and processed without chemical fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides or fungicides. Nothing unnatural is allowed so there are no growth hormones, antibiotics, preservatives, dyes, chemical coatings or irradiation allowed. There is no genetic engineering allowed in organic foods. Organic food is nothing else but good pure nutritional food – the way it used to be. Toxic overload The food we eat affects our health. Most conventionally produced food comes from production systems that rely on a cocktail of up to 350 different chemicals. The World Health Organization has classified many of these substances as hazardous to our health. In studies, the short and long term effects on our health from these toxic chemicals ranges from short term conditions such as ADS (Attention Deficit Syndrome), allergies, digestion and reproductive disorders to long term illnesses such as cancers and degenerative diseases like Alzheimer. Our organic food however is different because by definition it is pure, wholesome and nutritious. There are absolutely no toxins or otherwise artificial or synthetic chemicals, coatings or treatments that in any way affect quality of organic food. In harmony with Nature Organic and bio-dynamic farmers work with nature, promoting the diversity and sustainability of the environment and building upon a healthy eco-system. Organic agriculture preserves the overall quality of our lakes, rivers, estuaries, wetlands, ground and drinking water. Organic farming relies on renewable resources, using 70% less and producing much less pollution than conventional farming. Preserving the soil is a key factor. They practice methods such as ‘intercropping’ where crops are mixed, rather than grown in large fields, minimizing the impact of agriculture on the environment. Humane treatment to animals Our organic livestock is raised in an ethical and humane manner, which puts emphasis on the health and treatment of the animals. Fresh air and space to move around and access to the outdoors ensure a healthy and stress-free animal. They are fed only organically grown feed and are reared without the unnecessary use of anti-biotics, growth promoters or hormones. Organic animals are never fed unnatural food such as animal scraps which is the practice that lead to the livestock neural disease ‘BSE’ and its related ‘kreuzfeld Jacobs’ disease in humans. Bio-diversity Organic farmers plant many more species of fruit and have brought back many heirloom varieties from the brink of extinction. These old varieties are often tastier and juicier but not suited to large scale industrial farming. In Britain,organic farmers grow 100 different varieties of potatoes alone! This bio-diversity gives us the joy and experience of eating new and different fruits and vegetables. GM-free Genetic engineering is not permitted in organic food and an organic farmer loses his organic certification if his crop is not 100io gm-free. Genetically engineered agricultural products have an unknown impact on the safety and health of the consumer and environment. ‘Organic Foods and Cafe’ does not sell genetically modified food. For further information please read our GM leaflet. The benefits of going Organic Trusting our food. Organic labeling tells you all the ingredients – there are no hidden ingredients that there can legally be in conventional foods as in conventional foods, the ingredients of each individual ingredient do not have to be listed. You know you can trust organic food because of the organic certification which has strictly enforced criteria – look for the organic symbol. Optimum Health In terms of health, prevention is better than cure. It is essential not to overload our bodies with toxins, which damage our immune systems. Organic farmers avoid using unnecessary and harmful chemicals, additives and drugs. Many of these substances have been classified by the W. H. O. as poisonous to your health and the environment. In addition, organic food retains essential nutrients, such as iron and salicylic acid, which are stripped away in conventional food processing. Value for money You get what you pay for – this is very valid for organic food. Organic food really has more nutrients, vitamins and minerals, including vitamin C, iron, magnesium and phosphorous than conventionally produced food. This is because in organic farming, great emphasis is on nourishing the soil which in turn gives healthy plants. Healthy plants give produce that is packed full of all the vitamins and minerals which give flavour and goodness to our food. The time allowed for the crops to grow by not using chemical fertilizers is the final key elements making it possible for organic crops to have much higher nutrition levels. Authentic Taste Organic produce and meats retain a pure, fresh flavour the way nature intended. In studies, organic produce was proven to have more intense flavour molecules, a direct result of a healthy, dynamic soil. In organic food, flavour is not contaminated or masked by residues, preservatives or waxes. Nor is it enhanced to many times the flavour that is actually present which is common practice to achieve a full flavour where very little is actually there in conventional food. Protecting our future generations We all want the best for our children, and we have selected organic food that provides them with the goodness and nutrition that their growing bodies need to develop optimal mental, emotional and physical performance. It is imperative that they are protected from the detrimental effects of health-damaging toxins found in conventional foods. Today’s children have unacceptably high levels of asthma, eczemas and syndromes such as Attention Deficit Syndrome. Many of these can be linked to unhealthy additives in children’s foods and by eating organic foods we can prevent and alleviate these problems. Supporting Small Farms Organic farms are usually small, family run operations that take seriously the health of the environment and their stewardship of the land they work. They use techniques which limit agricultures impact on the soil, on streams and ground water, bird and wild life and on human health. We have picked selected family run organic certified farms where quality and freshness can be assured. Why does Organic food cost more? The truth is that we have become too used to paying very little for our food and what we put in our mouths has become nothing more than a business commodity. In order to produce high quality organic food, every step of production is more labour-intensive, time-consuming and frankly, not as profitable. Organic food takes longer to grow, as there are no growth hormones and chemical fertilizers used. Due to a lack of fumigants and wax coatings, organic food is often more perishable, there more is lost in transit between the farmer and the consumer. Most farms are small family run operations that do not benefit from government subsidies. The truth is that we are getting what we are paying for: a good quality product that is nutritious, delicious and safe for us to eat and not the cheapest product that is possible to produce. Organic Produce 1. Organic produce has an average of 50% more vitamins, minerals, enzymes and other micro-nutrients than their intensively farmed counterparts. 2. Organic produce is not covered in a cocktail of poisonous chemicals. The average conventionally grown apple has 20 – 30 artificial chemicals on its skin even after washing. 3. Organic produce is usually picked when it is ripe, unlike conventional food, which to allow for extra processing and commercial ease, is picked unripe and before it is fully developed. What is the Difference? Conventional Vs Natural / Organic Food (As per USDA rules) No| Ingredient / Processing| Conventional Food| Natural / Organic Food| 1| Artificial Flavours| May be used| No|. 2| Artificial Colours| May be used| No| 3| Artificial Preservatives| May be used| No| 4| Artificial Fertilizers| May be used| May be used| 5| Synthetic Pesticides| May be used| May be used| 6| Irradiation| May be used| May be used| 7| Genetically Engineered | May be used| May be used| What are genetically Engineered/ Modified Food? Genetically-modified food is produced from plants and animals which have had their genes changed in the laboratory by scientists. All living organisms have genes written in their DNA. They are the chemical instructions for life and all the organism’s functions. By modifying the genes, the scientists can change the characteristics of an organism. Most often, these modifications to our food are for economic reasons. To create GM crops, genes from bacteria, viruses, plants, animals and even humans have been inserted into plants such as soybeans, corn, canola and cotton. For example scientists wanted to increase the frost tolerance of strawberries so they inserted the â€Å"anti-freeze† gene of a cold water fish into the DNA of the strawberry, in effect producing fishberries, a life form that would never occur in nature. Why is it Different from Traditional Crossbreeding? For thousands of years farmers have engaged in what termed as traditional breeding, favoring seeds from plants with favorable characteristics and creating new plant types from cross-breeding closely-related species. Genetic engineering is more specific. It gives scientists the ability to select a single gene for a single characteristic and transfer that stretch of DNA from one organism to another. For example, a tomato variety was developed by Calgene to switch off the gene which triggers it to produce a chemical that makes the fruit go soft and then rot. What are the Dangers? Genetic engineering is experimenting with very delicate, yet powerful forces of nature without full knowledge of the repercussions. Yet, once it is introduced into the food system there is no way of getting it out of it as insects, birds, and wind can carry genetically altered seeds into neighboring fields and beyond. All crops are vulnerable to contamination from cross-pollination from transgenic plants. Health Concerns Manufacturers of genetically altered foods are exposing humanity to one of the largest uncontrolled experiments in history. We are all guinea pigs in this genetic experiment with our food. Some possible risks: No long term safety testing Genetic engineering uses material from organisms that have never been part of the human food supply to change the nature of the food we eat. Without long term testing and controlled scientific research no one knows if these foods are safe. We really do not know the long term and latent affect these. foods will have on our health. Allergic Reactions By inserting foreign DNA into common foods, without adequate safety testing, genetic engineering can also produce unforeseen and unknown allergens in food. Given that genes can be introduced from unrelated species the possibilities of allergies are greater than with traditionally bred crops. Toxins Familiar foods could become metabolically dangerous or even toxic. Genetic engineering could upset complex biochemical networks and create new bioactive compounds or change the concentrations of those normally present. These unexpected mutations can create new or higher levels of toxins making them poisonous to human health. Antibiotic Resistance Another potential hazard to human health is the possibility that bacteria in our guts could pick up antibiotic resistant genes found in GM foods. These genes are inserted into GM plants as â€Å"markers† to tell scientists which plants have taken up the exotic genes. If this transfer happens it could exacerbate the already worrisome spread of ‘superbug’ bacteria that have proven to withstand our antibiotics. Decreased Nutritional Value Genetically altered foods may mislead consumers with counterfeit freshness. A luscious looking, bright red GM tomato could be several weeks old and of little nutritional value even though it looks as though it was picked off the vine hours before. Environmental Risks We are opening a Pandora’s box with GM technology. Raising GM crops is an uncontrolled experiment with unknown consequences for surrounding eco-systems. Biological Pollution Unlike chemicals that are released into the environment, genetically engineered organisms are living things that will reproduce and spread uncontrollably and at will, with little possibility of containment or clean up. These are not natural organisms, but have been made in a lab and will destroy or at best upset the fragile ecological balance Super Weeds GM crops can cross-pollinate with related weeds, resulting in super weeds that are impossible to control. These weeds are immune to a broad spectrum weed killer after crossing with and assuming the herbicide- resistant gene from the GM plant. This will not only increase the use of topical herbicides but will stimulate demand for stronger, more toxic herbicides. Super Bugs Insects could become resistant to the pesticides engineered into GM crops. This would mean developing new, stronger, more toxic chemical pesticides to fight these pesticide tolerant super bugs. Toxicity to Wildlife Insects and birds will be the first in the animal food chain to be affected by GM crops. They will be exposed to a range of genetically engineered chemicals, drugs, enzymes and hundreds of other foreign substances for the first time, and there is no telling how they will be affected in the short or long term. These substances will then be passed up through the food chain to affect all the wild life in a given eco-system. Humans in turn will get affected, but as so often, by the time we realize what has happened, it may be too late. DDT was hailed as the solution to all pests and it was not till years later that we realized that it was cancer causing and destroying a lot more than just the bugs we were targeting. Loss of Biodiversity In the world of genetic engineering we would not need hundreds of different varieties of a crop because all the properties and features can be in a single plant. For example you would not need one species of corn for hot climates and another for cold or one that is drought resistant and another to withstand flooding. All of these unique features can be in a single plant. In the end many species would become extinct. It may only be years after they are extinct that we realize that we have destroyed some features we may still need. Ethical Questions Fiddling with the genetic make-up of plants and animals is unnatural. Nature takes millions of years to effect genetic change, so do we have the right to make changes overnight and substitute human for natural selection? Do we have the right to play God, to restructure irreversibly the genetic blueprints of the Earth’s plants and animals? Are we playing Creator? Fixing Perfection Are we trying to fix something which isn’t broken? Are we trying to change the course of nature for a good enough purpose? Manipulating the very building blocks of life in order to extend shelf life, is that a good reason? Religious Concerns Genetic engineering offends deeply held beliefs of a number of different faiths. A Hindu vegetarian may not wish to eat a vegetable bearing an animal gene and likewise, a Muslim may not think it right to eat a tomatoe carrying the gene of a pig. Genetic manipulation hits at the very core of our belief systems and deprives us of the comfort and the assurance that the food we eat complies with our dietary obligations. Are these beliefs going to be secondary to the potential profits of large ago-business?