All Men Are Created Equal Except Women - 1341 Words

The image that is usually placed with feminism is that of a rabid, bra-burning, lesbian running around disclaiming the patriarchy. It could be that of a mid-century housewife complaining about how her only career choices are between teacher and secretary, or even of a woman with a sash and banner walking in front of the White House; preaching about her right to vote. However, this isnt necessarily the case. Ever since the rise of the internet, in the late 20th Century, feminism has had a revival causing it to grow in popularity and spread across forums everywhere. Women are joining this â€Å"third wave† movement to bring an end to the societal injustices that still plague the gender today (qtd. in Haslanger et al.). Feminism currently†¦show more content†¦Laurie observes that the problem is that â€Å"bland sexual performance is still the only power this society grants to young women, and it grants it grudgingly, rushing to judge and humiliate them whenever they cl aim it.†(Penny). Women are being made inferior by the media and society shaming women for using their sexuality, whereas men are encouraged. Feminism would provide women with the ability to use their sexuality however they want without the prejudice that comes to only females who use it. Shaming women for having sex on their own terms is awful, but we also shame them for making choices for their own bodies after they have sex. Abortion is a very controversial problem in America since it terminates the pregnancy of a woman, killing the unborn fetus. However, the mother may not be capable of raising the child herself and therefore makes the decision for the future of herself and the unborn baby. It is currently being pushed that abortion should be made illegal to promote chastity and sex before the woman is ready for the responsibilities of motherhood, however making abortion illegal will also bring many health concerns for the mother: â€Å"Out of desperation, they [women] may seek help from unqualified, unregulated providers who work in unsanitary conditions and provide no post-surgical care. Equally dangerous, women may attempt to induceShow MoreRelatedEqual Rights for Men and Women?1266 Words   |  6 PagesEqual Rights for Men and Women? Do you believe women should have the same rights as men? - Anthony Schifano (California, USA) Lama:   I do believe that women should have the same rights as men because they make up half the society. Sure, I do believe that women should be treated equally and have same rights as men because the only difference between women and men is their sex and biological structure. Saher:   Of course; women and men are equal. Both genders are human beings who live theirRead MoreMuslim Women: Treated With Oppression Or Fairness?. When1429 Words   |  6 PagesMuslim Women: Treated With Oppression or Fairness? When I mention Islam, I am discussing its way of life, a concept that encompasses every aspect of one’s life from beginning to end. Islam, the newest and second largest faith, influences many parts of this earth as we discussed in class. Originating in the Arabian Desert, the religion is based on one book, The Holy Quran, the final word of Allah. Prophet Muhammed, in Islam, was the last messenger of God. His life is one that Muslims should followRead MoreWomen s Fight For Freedom1352 Words   |  6 PagesAfghanistan in harm s way. The military creates men who are immensely brave, strictly disciplined, completely loyal, and heavily courageous. These men work hard to protect our country and they need to be honored beyond measures, but somehow everyone seems to overlook the opposite gender, who also risks their lives to serve their country. A mother, a wife, a sister, a daughter. A soldier. A woman who fights for her country with bravo and strength. Women have recently gained more acceptance in the militaryRead MoreBiblical Gender Roles Of The Family And Church775 Words   |  4 Pages Egalitarians hold the belief that men and women should have the same roles and are equal in their abilities and obligations, which is the widely held belief of the feminist movement. On the other hand, complementarians hold the belief that there should be different gender roles held in the church and in the family. God created specific gender roles for men and women to distinguish them from one another. Men and women differ in their roles because God created man first: â€Å"Then the LORD God formedRead MoreWomen in the Scientific Revolution Era Essay1452 Words   |  6 PagesDuring the Middle Ages, except for those in religious positions, women were only seen as three things, which were daughter, wife, and mother. But in the fourteenth through sixteenth centuries, new opportunities in learning humanism arose for only those in the higher class families. Even though they started to educate themselves, the majority had no rights whatsoever in money matters as well as estate. From the 17th century and up to the scientific revolution, women’s rights had consistently beenRead MoreWomen s Rights Of Women Essay1710 Words   |  7 Pagesevery race and ethnicity, because as we were so told, â€Å"All men are created equal.† We’ve assumed that they implied all humans, not simply the male gender when speaking that truth. However, women only gained their rights within t he last 100 years and that famous quote was spoken centuries ago. So does this famous quote only apply to the male gender of our society? It seemed that for the longest time it did until women supposedly gained equal rights. Even though we have the right to vote, and haveRead More Social inequality in 1820s Essay1385 Words   |  6 Pagesbeginning. However, it was only an intention to be socially equal, but not a goal. Social equality or the fact that all men were created equal only applied to the white man. There was no intention in meaning that the blacks and Indians or even the women were equal. In the eyes of the delegates, and the common white majority, blacks, indians, and women were not an issue. To them, it was apparent that blacks were kids, Indians were savages, and women were homemakers. From the late 18th century to the midRead MoreWomen s Rights Of Women1407 Words   |  6 Pagessignificant today because without the women having their rights, America wouldn’t b e as developed as it it. I chose this topic because Women’s rights and their ability to be more free has affected not only America, but every country that allows their women to be who they are, do what they desire, and let them express themselves. When they were given their rights, women had taken over everything for the better. They were creating success in every aspect, women were modernizing and helping AmericaRead MoreThe Role Of Women During The Post Revolutionary Century1677 Words   |  7 Pages What is the place of a woman? Throughout history, the role of women in American society has been called to question, as all equal rights movements eventually do. For the majority of America’s history, the role of women has been passive. Women, who are trained to be obedient and reserved, often did not take an active role in their rights. The woman who have stood up for their rights have developed how women have been viewed in the past two hundred years. As America developed and changed economica llyRead MoreWomens Rights Essay1322 Words   |  6 PagesWomen’s Rights Should all women be equal to their status, opportunities and rights? Every woman should have the ability to express their freedoms and rights, deserve equal treatment within their society and region, and every country needs to reinforce the rules for women. There is no dignity and respect for women universally. Gender equality is still out of reach for many women worldwide. Presently, women have gained legal rights throughout the world. The women’s rights movement changed society

How Romanticism Can Be Defined As A Style Of Art And...

Romanticism can be defined as both a style of art and literature during the 18th and 19th centuries that heavily emphasized imagination and emotion. Walden, or Life in the Woods is an excellent example of a novel that embodies American Romanticism. Thoreau conveys his thoughts and ideas through his literature. hen one reads Walden Carefully, one can find many of the characteristics of Romanticism in it. In Where I Lived and What I Lived For, Thoreau rejects civilization and seeks to spend more time with nature. His desire is to be one with nature and live alone in the woods. As he states, â€Å"I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived† This quote is explanatory of a lot. The first aspect it addresses is practicality. However, the second part contains a much deeper meaning about life in a philosophical mann er. Walden eloquently merges both the practical and philosophical elements. Some would call this, what is essential and needed for life. It refers not only to physical needs, but it also takes a turn and examines the core of the human being in their own way of existence. Walden is a double-edged sword in a sense that it addresses both the subject of practicality and philosophy. Looking at things from a realistic perspective, it is simply not physically possible to die without having lived. From aShow MoreRelatedInfluences of the Romantic Period1575 Words   |  7 PagesInfluences on the Romantic Period Romanticism spawned in the late 18th century and flourished in the early and mid-19th century. Romanticism emphasized the irrational, the imaginative, the personal, the spontaneous, the emotional, the visionary, the transcendental, and the individual. Romanticism is often viewed as a rejection of the ideologies of Classicism and Neoclassicisms, namely calm, order, harmony, idealization, rationality and balance. Some characteristics of Romanticism include: emotion over reasonRead MoreEliot s Influences On Literature1013 Words   |  5 PagesFrederick Douglass and T.S. Eliot’s Influences On Literature The nineteenth and twentieth century were pivotal times in the world of literature. Many new elements of writing and style were evolving and authors all over the world were finding ways to present what they felt most passionate about. Some writers opened their readers up to newer ideas by the means of, as Ezra Pound once stated, â€Å"making it new.† Two writers in particular who did a fantastic job of this were Frederick Douglass and T.S.Read MoreImpact of the 1789 French Revolution on Literature3917 Words   |  16 PagesRevolution on Literature Introduction - Outline ONE: Pre-Revolution Attitudes in France freedom of expression was repressed to a degree that became intolerable the pre-Revolution literature reflected and related to the upper class in France the French language was considered the Kings language and for those extolling the virtues of the king; the great bulk of the French population used Latin TWO: The Romantic Movement Following the Revolution of 1789 albeit the movement of romanticism was bornRead MoreWalt Whitmans Influences1411 Words   |  6 Pageswrote the book â€Å"Leaves of Grass† with the goal of creating a literature piece that was authentic and organic to the United States in every sense. Whitman introduced to literature the idea of the â€Å"American Dream† and highlighted how important it was for the American people to develop their own identity. Consequently, he rejected the European writing styles and adapted the use of free-verses to his writing, making it a popular writing style in American poetry. Whitman valued of humanity, nature and spiritualityRead MoreMary Shelley s Novel And Exotic Beautiful Places Essay2160 Words   |  9 PagesFrankenstein was a novel written by author Mary Shelley in 1818. The novel tells the story of a scientist named Victor Frankenstein who creates a grotesque creature. The novel is a mix of Gothic and romantic literature. Shelley sets her novel and exotic beautiful pla ces, which is an example of romanticism. She also uses gothicism by focusing on the death and gruesome macabre. Throughout the novel Shelley uses both romantic and Gothic elements in the setting ,characterization ,subject matter ,and plot .Read More Romanticism in European Art and Culture Essay2490 Words   |  10 Pagesall the movements in European art, Romanticism has by far the most difficult origins to pinpoint due to the broadness of its beginnings, artistic expressions, and time frame. Inspired by â€Å"nature, an awareness of the past, a religious spirit, and an artistic ideal† (Barron’s 6), Romanticism is one of the most significant influences on European culture. By looking at modern paintings, we can see the influence Romanticism has had throughout the generations. With Romanticism, artists have been able to takeRead MoreThe Role Of Hamlet Developed Through English And Russian Theatre?2871 Words   |  12 PagesHow has the character of Hamlet developed thro ugh English and Russian Theatre? Hamlet, the main character from one of the most famous Shakespeare s plays The Tragical Historie of Hamlet, Prince of Denmarke, is one of the most popular and well-known characters around the world (it is very difficult to find a person who hasn’t heard about him). William Shakespeare created an epic story about a young man, his way to revenge and his internal spiritual fight with his soul full of melancholy. The depthRead MoreEdgar Allan Poe / Emily Dickinson3782 Words   |  16 PagesTony American Literature 4 March 2013 Romanticism is the only literary movement exhibits a wide variety of art, literature and intellect in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. This movement has been a topic of ample disagreements over its defining ideologies and aesthetics. It can best be described as a large network of sometimes competing philosophies, agendas, and points of interest. In England, Romanticism had its greatest influence from the end of the eighteenth century up through aboutRead MoreLeaves And Survivor Essay2472 Words   |  10 PagesA novel is often defined as â€Å"an invented prose narrative that is usually long and complex and deals especially with human experience through a usually connected sequence of events.† ( ) The basis of a novel is very broad and features many different types of writing styles and genres throughout time. Novels such as House of Leaves and Survivor are written in a different way than White Noise, but all still follow the basic framework of a novel. What binds t he different types of novels together is theRead MoreManners in Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen3437 Words   |  14 Pageshistorical importance among scholars and critics, but continues to remain popular. Pride and Prejudice, a comedy of manners, was published in 1813, and is a staple of the English literature. It recreates the social world of the landed gentry of early 19th-century England and embodies the theme that preconceptions and egotism can overcome true love. Pride and Prejudice is somewhat autobiographical; emphasizes the key elements of setting, characterization and theme; and has received extensive and thorough

Love from Mother Figures in The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd and Romeo and Juliet Essay Example For Students

Love from Mother Figures in The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd and Romeo and Juliet Essay In literature, young characters need mother figures to rely on to achieve their love needs. If they were ever separated from their mothers, characters would need to search for love somewhere else. In the novel, The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd, Lily loses her mother at a young age, and as a result, she looks to the Boatwright sisters for love and support. Similarly, in William Shakespeare’s play Romeo and Juliet, Lady Capulet is not close to her daughter. Rather than helping Juliet and caring for her, Lady Capulet pushes Juliet toward the Nurse unintentionally. This behavior causes Juliet to seek out the Nurse instead of her mother to help with her troubles regarding Romeo. The novel, The Secret Life of Bees involves Lily Owens, a thirteen-year-old girl and her outing to find love. Lily is longing to feel love because she does not receive any from her abusive and cruel father T. Ray. Lily’s mother Deborah passes away when Lily is just a baby. For the rest of her life, Lily is forced to deal with T. Ray, who has a really short temper. At one point in the novel, T. Ray declares, â€Å"You listen to me. The day she died, your mother just came back to get her things, that’s all† (Kidd 39). T. Ray makes it sound like Deborah never loved Lily and did not even care about her. Fortunately for Lily, she has a picture that used to belong to Deborah, her mother. On the back of the photo, it says â€Å"Tiburon, SC† (14). She goes on a voyage, to this town to find out about her mother’s past and if she really abandons Lily like T. Ray claims. According to Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, love is a social need (â€Å"Maslow’s†). This can be used to determine why Lily abandoned her home. Maslow’s Hierarchy states that, â€Å"Children, adolescents or adul. .ue in the play, Juliet does come from a very prosperous family. Because of this, â€Å"children often spend their first years under the care of†¦nurses†(Grendler). Juliet goes to the Nurse to deliver a letter to Romeo rather than her own mother because she does not trust her enough. The Nurse really does care and love with Juliet. She is supportive and does her best to make sure Juliet is always happy. There is a strong need for love anywhere and without it, characters will not succeed. Clearly Lily is looking for it with the Boatwrights while she is also with Rosaleen. Juliet, on the other hand, has her nurse as a mother figure. Lily’s mother died at a young age and Lily doesn’t know why so she goes to find out what really happened to her mother. Lady Capulet does not act like a mother should and as a result Juliet does not believe she can trust her mother.

The Detrimental Effects In Changing The Rent Control Act (390 words) Essay Example For Students

The Detrimental Effects In Changing The Rent Control Act (390 words) Essay The Detrimental Effects in Changing the Rent Control ActIn a just society, the ruling authority must decide what is right when allocating wealth to its individual citizens. The same ruling authority does this by intervening with the inner workings of a marketplace to uphold its fundamental values and ideals. The aim of government intervention is to create a just society that will reflect the peoples values. Governing bodies do this by establishing laws that enforce fairness or ?equity. The Ontario government passed the Rent Control Act in 1975. The law levels the playing field between landlords and tenants. New units are exempt from controls for their first five years after which the controls are put into place. The controls put a ceiling on annual rent increases. Under current law, a landlord may only increase a tenants rent by 2% plus inflation.1 As with all other markets, the housing market is based on supply and demand. If the nature of the market were allowed to take its course, then the price of housing would become unaffordable for most citizens. We will write a custom essay on The Detrimental Effects In Changing The Rent Control Act (390 words) specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now An unfair situation would be created where power and money would be disproportionately appropriated to land owners. Rent control laws were established by previous governments to protect society and its people from inflated and uncontrollable housing costs. The Harris government now wants to repeal these laws. On June 25 the Minister of Housing, Al Leach, released a policy paper outlining the changes that are to be made to Ontarios rent laws. Conservative legislators plan to pass the proposed ?Tenant Protection Act in the fall. The omnibus legislation will rescind the Rent Control Act, the Landlord and Tenant Act, the Rental Housing Protection Act, Residents Rights Act, the Land Lease Statute Amendment Act, the Vital Services Act.2 The most objectionable change allows the act to lift controls off vacant units. The 3. 2 million renters in Ontario are very concerned about the changes.3 The housing ministry will accept written submissions from the public until August 30. Public hearings are also planned in hope that they will ease the transition. However, most people are indignant towards the idea. Changing the rent control laws would be detrimental to society as they threaten citizens positive right to affordable housing, harm their mobility rights and increase the gap between the rich and the poor.

Free Essays on The Invisible Man

J. R. Hammond once said, â€Å"It is perhaps difficult for a twentieth-century reader to recapture the sense of excitement which must have been experienced by those who read the Invisible Man for the first time on its publication as a serial in Pearson’s Weekly in the summer of 1897 and as a book in the autumn of that year.† Yet, to a contemporary reader, it is also apparent that this novel does not purely narrate a story about a selfish young scientist-a hunter who is hunted at last. We can capture the author’s profound thoughts if we look through the disguise of the science fiction color. Its thesis is the conflicts between group and the individual and the conflicts begin as soon as the secret of invisibility becomes public. When first reading the Invisible Man, readers will find the title itself resonant, dangerous; although its resonance may have become a little muted through repetition after more than a century in print. Simmering in their mind are mainly two questions, one theological and one sociological: What if a man could be invisible yet still active in society? And, what would this man do without the public observing? Griffin, the young chemist and physicist, discovers the secret of invisibility and becomes transparent himself. When imagining an invisible man walking on the street freely, we may feel amused and curious first due to the fact that many of us have ever fancied ourselves invisible- sometimes we find ourselves naked going through the crowd in our dreams. But later on the second thought, we will find a lack of both privacy and security because an invisible man means a disembodied voice, a walking emptiness who can witness whatever you do, a threat both anarchic and extremely terrifying, which means he can do anything he wants on one hand and he could be right next to you on the other hand. Furthermore, people will consider him as a threat to the human beings’ normal life in which people live harmonio... Free Essays on The Invisible Man Free Essays on The Invisible Man J. R. Hammond once said, â€Å"It is perhaps difficult for a twentieth-century reader to recapture the sense of excitement which must have been experienced by those who read the Invisible Man for the first time on its publication as a serial in Pearson’s Weekly in the summer of 1897 and as a book in the autumn of that year.† Yet, to a contemporary reader, it is also apparent that this novel does not purely narrate a story about a selfish young scientist-a hunter who is hunted at last. We can capture the author’s profound thoughts if we look through the disguise of the science fiction color. Its thesis is the conflicts between group and the individual and the conflicts begin as soon as the secret of invisibility becomes public. When first reading the Invisible Man, readers will find the title itself resonant, dangerous; although its resonance may have become a little muted through repetition after more than a century in print. Simmering in their mind are mainly two questions, one theological and one sociological: What if a man could be invisible yet still active in society? And, what would this man do without the public observing? Griffin, the young chemist and physicist, discovers the secret of invisibility and becomes transparent himself. When imagining an invisible man walking on the street freely, we may feel amused and curious first due to the fact that many of us have ever fancied ourselves invisible- sometimes we find ourselves naked going through the crowd in our dreams. But later on the second thought, we will find a lack of both privacy and security because an invisible man means a disembodied voice, a walking emptiness who can witness whatever you do, a threat both anarchic and extremely terrifying, which means he can do anything he wants on one hand and he could be right next to you on the other hand. Furthermore, people will consider him as a threat to the human beings’ normal life in which people live harmonio...

Technological Environment Affecting Indian Business Essays

Technological Environment Affecting Indian Business Essays Technological Environment Affecting Indian Business Paper Technological Environment Affecting Indian Business Paper As the population relies more and more on mobile phones, additional features were requested. A. High expectation of customers: Technology can change the buying patterns of customers. Customers are the crux whenever a business venture is created. Organizations produce to sell, but if the spending power of the consumers decreases or they become averse to a particular type of product or service, the organization will be affected immensely. It is important therefore, that business leaders are able to gauge he change in tastes and preferences of customers so that they are better prepared for any eventuality. People want better products with superior quality, safer and free from pollution. For all this to be achieved, more investment has to be done on Research and Development. High expectations can pose a challenge as well as opportunities to the business sectors. The most successful and powerful organizations are looked at with hope for the newest and best products and so it completely depends on their work methods to satisfy the customers with good products or lose their faith with bad products. B. Modernization and Arbitration: Technology has resulted in both Modernization and Complexity. Modernization is indicated by a change in peoples food habits, dress habits, speaking styles, tastes, choices, preferences, ideas, values, recreational activities and so on. People in the process of getting them modernized give more importance to science and technology. The scientific and technological inventions have modernized societies in various countries. They have brought about remarkable changes in the whole system of social relationship and installed new ideologies in the place of traditional ones. Arbitration denotes a diffusion of the influence of urban centers to a rural hinterland. It describes the growth of a society in which a major role is played by manufacturing industry. The industry is characterized by heavy, fixed capital investment in plant and building by the application of science to industrial techniques and by mainly large-scale standardized production. Due to technological changes people are trying to upgrade themselves from just agriculture to other options and opportunities. Hence only when a large proportion of inhabitants in an area come to cities arbitration is said to occur. Arbitration has become a world phenomenon today. An unprecedented growth has taken place not only in the number of great cities but also in their size. As a result of industrialization people have started moving towards the metro cities like Bungalow, Achaean and Iambi etc in search of employment. More and more rural areas are thus getting converted in to urban areas to accommodate the moving populations. C. Social Changes: The implementation of technology influences the values of a society by changing expectations and realities. The implementation of technology is also influenced by values. There are (at least) three major, interrelated values that inform, and are informed by, technological innovations: * Mechanistic world view: Viewing the universe as a collection of parts, (like a machine), that can be individually analyzed and understood. This is a form of reductionism that is rare nowadays. However, the neo-mechanistic world view holds that nothing in the universe cannot be understood by the human intellect. Also, while all things are greater than the sum of their parts (e. G. Even if we consider nothing more than the information involved in their combination), in Renville, even this excess must eventually be understood by human intelligence. That is, no divine orbital principle or essence is involved. * Efficiency: A value, originally applied only to machines, but now applied to all aspects of society, so that each element is expected to attain a higher and higher percentage of its maximal possible performance, output, or ability. Social progress: The belief that there is such a thing as social progress, and that, in the main, it is beneficent. Before the Industrial Revolution, and the subsequent explosion of technology, almost all societies believed in a cyclical hero of social movement and, indeed, of all history and the universe. This was, obviously, based on the cyclist of the seasons, and an agricultural economy and societys strong ties to that cyclist. Since much of the world is closer to their agricultural roots, they are still much more amenable to cyclist than progress in history. This brings on with it, some disadvantages too. Though social differences tend to be ironed out, status differences are created by technological advancements in Indian and other developing countries. In India, employees in foreign collaborations are paid more than employees working in local collaborations, though they do the same job in the same field. Moreover, modernization pressurize for more and more Genetically Modified Products over natural products and this several adverse affects like misaligning the natural pathways. It also leads to consolidation Of market towards the companies providing GM products. D. Social Systems: Of particular interest is the knowledge of technology. At this level, technology creates a distinct type of social system, namely, the knowledge society. In the knowledge society, use and transfer of knowledge and information, rather Han manual skill, dominates work and employs the largest portion of labor force. The knowledge worker will have to show why he should be retained, what benefit he can offer to the organization and how he can add value to whatever the organization does. He will have to create new jobs in consultation with his employer. The factories have brought down the prices of commodities, improved their quality and maximized their output. The whole process of production is mechanized. The process of industrialization has affected the nature, character and the growth of economy. It has contributed to the growth of cities or to the process Of arbitration. Development Of transport and immunization has led to the national and international trade on a large scale. The road transport, the train service, the ships and air transport have eased the movement of men and material goods. Post and telegraph, radio and television, newspaper and magazines, wireless has developed a great deal. They have helped the people belonging to different corners of the nation or the world to have regular contacts. The introduction of the factory system of production has turned the agricultural economy into industrial economy. The industrial or the capitalist economy has divided the social organization into two predominant classes- the capitalist class and the working class. These two classes are always at conflict due to mutually opposite interests. A. Productivity and Competition: Most of the organizations today fiercely contest with each other to woo customers. Although, the customer is in a win-win situation and gets many options to choose from, organizations for their part have to be on their toes with all preparedness to counter any marketing or publicity campaigns by the rivals to score over the consumers. If a rival is able to come up with an innovative product or service, other organizations then need to play the thatch-up game and this factor affects business immensely. It is the driving factor behind the technological advancements. In technology the competition is remorseless. In most businesses the competition might be able to do something as well as you and it will remove your excess profit. People will build hotels for instance until everyones returns are inadequate but not until everyones returns are sharply negative. Even in a glutted market a hotel tends to have a reason to exist it still provides useful service. For example, data suggests that during the years since 1991-92, when the Indian software arrives industry and, to an extent, the hardware industry was still in its infancy, there has been one striking structural feature characterizing the sector. Over this 1 7-year period when industry revenues have grown by more than 1 50 times or at a compound rate of 34 per cent per annum, a few firms have routinely dominated the industry. Thus the share of the top 20 firms in the industry throughout the period has fluctuated between 47 and 57 per cent, standing at 55 per cent in 1999-2000 and at 56 per cent in 2006-07. That is concentration as conventionally measured has been high and relatively table. What is more there is evidence that at the core of the industry concentration is in fact increasing. According to the results of Disquiets most recent survey, the share of the Top 20 firms in the revenues of the Top 200, which has been increasing consistently over the last few years, rose sharply from 54 per cent in 2005-06 to 64 per cent in 2006-07, as compared to a rise from 50 to 54 per cent between 2004-05 and 2006-07 (Datasets, July 1 5, 2007). Acquisitions such as that of I-Flex by Oracle and a sudden, sharp 1 36 per cent increase in the revenues of Tech Maidenhair partly explain this rend. But the fact of a high degree of concentration cannot be denied. With the increasing technology requirements of Indian businesses and government along with increased summarization, the Indian technology industry is expected to grow to RSI. 1. 8 trillion by 201 6, a growth of over 2012. Opportunities, the contribution of the Internet economy to the countrys gross domestic product (GAP) is expected to increase from 4. % in 2010 to 5. 6% in 2016, to touch RSI. 1 1 trillion, driven largely by the countrys demographic dividend. Also, the number of billion-dollar Indian companies ill increase from 141 in fiscal year 2010 to more than 700 by 2020, and these firms will require extensive use of technology to remain competitive. This thus, is leading to increased productivity in terms of quality and quantity by the major Indian industries. A number oftentimes factors can affect both true and measured productivity. For example, workers may work harder during periods of high demand and firms may use their capital assets more intensively by running factories for extra shifts; both factors can lead measured productivity to be too high relative to actual technological progress. Similarly, during periods of high demand, productivity can rise because firms take advantage of increasing returns to scale. Technology has brought about increased productivity in almost all sectors Of Indian Economy like Infrastructure, Agriculture, Communication and Information Technology through new techniques and methods. Some of the productivity improving technologies are: Replacing human and animal power with water and wind power, steam, electricity and internal combustion and greatly increasing the use of energy Energy efficiency in the conversion of energy to useful work Infrastructures: canals, railroads, highways and pipelines Mechanization, both production machinery and agricultural machines Work practices and processes: The American system of manufacturing, Tailors or scientific management, mass production, assembly line, modern business enterprise Materials handling: bulk materials, popularization and centralization Scientific agriculture: fertilizers and the green revolution, livestock and poultry management New materials, new process for their production and denationalization. Communications: Telegraph, telephone, radio, titillates, fiber optic neuron and the Internet Home economics: Public water supply, household gas, appliances Automation and process control Computers and software, data processing. B. Need to spend on Research and Development: Research and Development assumes considerable relevance in organizations as technology advances. Firms are required to consider, decide and take action on various issues. In the modern world, superior technologies, resources, geography, and history give rise to robust economies; and in a well-functioning, robust economy, economic excess naturally flows into rater use of technology. Moreover, because technology is such an inseparable part of human society, especially in its economic aspects, funding sources for (new) technological endeavourers are virtually illimitable. However, while in the beginning technological investment involved little more than the time, efforts, and skills of one or a few men, today, such investment may involve the collective labor and skills of many millions. Technology transfer is a complex, time-consuming and costly process, and the successful implementation of such a process demands continuous communication and o-operation between the parties involved. Furthermore, technology transfer cannot be effective if it experiences conflict with the economic and social needs of the people. In spite of the many differences in social, political, cultural, geographic and economic conditions, there are some common characteristics in the technological environments of developing countries. The most common technology transfer from industrialists to developing countries has been in agriculture and health care. As a result of improved health care systems, infant mortality rates have been cut while the incidence f once common diseases such as malaria and typhoid has been reduced in Latin America, south-east Asia and Africa (although the incidents Of the AIDS virus has increased alarmingly). Similarly, agricultural technology has increased agricultural productivity in Brazil, India and elsewhere. However, in most developing countries, technology has made little impact on the productive systems, income distribution and living conditions of the majority of the population. Moreover, as new technology comes in, the old one needs to be abandoned. The process of old replaced by new is called Technological Discontinuity. Such discontinuity occurs when a new technology cannot be used simply to enhance the current technology but actually substitutes for it to yield better performance. The R n D management must determine when to abandon present technology and when to develop or adopt new one. C. Increasing Intellectuality of jobs: With the advent of technology, jobs tend to become more intellectual or upgraded. A job hitherto handled by an illiterate and unskilled worker now requires the services of an educated and component worker. Introduction of new technology dislocates some workers. This makes it obligatory on the part f business houses to retrain its employees and to rehabilitate those displaced and non-trainable. Equal is the responsibly of the government to provide training and educational facilities to its citizens-those who pick up and acquaint themselves with the new technology, the job will be rewarding as they stand to gain through increased productivity, reduced prices and increased real wages. Along with upgrading jobs, technology has its impact on human relations. Since interaction and activity affect sentiments and they begin to feel and think about one another and about their situation. Not only bobs become more intellectual and knowledge-oriented, even the incumbents tended to become highly professional and knowledgeable. D. Unemployment: The problem of unemployment is a concomitant feature of the rapid technological advancement. Machines not only provide employment opportunities for men but they also take away the jobs of men through labor- saving devices. This results in technological unemployment. Labor displacing technologies can generally be classified under mechanization, automation, and process improvement. The first two fundamentally involve transferring tasks from humans to machines. The third monumentally involves the elimination of tasks altogether. Unemployment due to an increment in productivity generates an expectancy that no new jobs, or not enough new jobs, will arise to fill the void. Variants of this argument persist through the present day, as do counter-arguments to it. Average working hours have decreased significantly since the advent of modern efficiency producing technologies and continue to fall as less and less labor is needed to meet demand. The Great Indian Technologies From launching its first satellite to becoming self sufficient in food grain production to entering the nuclear power club, the last 60 years have seen India transform from a poor, struggling country into a modern scientific power that defied global pressure to carve out a place for itself in the field of science and technology Subbed Farm When India became independent, the political leadership -? like the people at large -? had magnificent dreams. They wanted to build a prosperous, modern India casting aside centuries of stagnation, poverty and backwardness. And one of the important facets of this vision was the harnessing of science and technology to deal with the huge economic and social challenges facing the country. In the early years the foundation for a gigantic, state-funded scientific establishment was laid. Scientific research in the Nan-strategic sphere was entrusted to the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (SIR) with its 37 laboratories and over 1 2,000 scientists. Similarly, the Indian Council for Agricultural Research took on the task of addressing problems of increasing agricultural output through its 97 institutes and 45 agricultural universities. -? India was a poor country, ravaged and plundered by colonialism. Yet, precious resources were set aside for all this because there was a vision that science should be put to direct use of society. These investments made 60 years ago have since borne fruit. Unlike any other post-colonial country (barring China) India can boast of one of the worlds largest scientific establishments with personnel to match it. How have these capabilities been put to use? How has the science and technology establishment tackled the halogens? The answers to these questions are not easy because its a mixed bag -? there are some well-known crowning achievements, but there is also a growing sense of unease about some issues where problems are mounting. Five areas can immediately be identified where Indian scientists have made significant strides. Their significance is not that they are fantastic discoveries that changed the world. They are remarkable because they were achieved against all odds, often in international isolation, and working with limited resources.

Wind Power as an Alternative to Fossil Fuels Essay

Wind Power as an Alternative to Fossil Fuels - Essay Example The essay "Wind Power as an Alternative to Fossil Fuels" aimed to discuss the environmental advantages of wind power. They include the fact that wind energy production is pollution free, which results in it having no effect on air quality or climate change. Wind energy also produces no particulate emissions that contribute to mercury contamination in lakes and streams. They also conserve water resources by using less water in electricity production, e.g. electricity generation through nuclear power uses 600 more times water than wind power. Wind power can also be beneficial to land preservation because their actual ‘footprint’ is small, which means minimal land is required. Wind farms also reduce the need for mining, which often destroys wildlife and ecosystems. Offshore wind farms also have no environmental effects on the land itself. However, marine life must be considered. It is also safer than other alternative energy sources such as nuclear power, with the Fukushima Nuclear Plant disaster fresh in many people’s minds. Also, the paper dwells upon the economic benefits of wind farms. They include the fact that wind is a native fuel that does not need to be mined or transported, which reduces production costs. Wind power can therefore be produced cheaper. The Wind Industry Group also claims that wind energy creates 30% more jobs than a coal plant and 60% more than a nuclear plant per unit of electricity released. Wind power is also getting cheaper to produce from nearly 30 cents per kWh in the early 1980’s to 3-5 cents per kWh today.

Perfume Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Perfume - Essay Example Since then perfumes are widely applied in various settings of the sphere. Their role is enormous, ranging from the individual respective, as a consumer learning tool, in mood therapy, in foods, detergents among others (Bennett 49). The broad application of perfumes triggered the researcher to explore their relevance in determining the attitudes of the human organism. The survey used both survey and literature review. The literature review was employed to assist in ascertaining the gap that exists in the study of perfumes and how they elicit moods in humans. Further, the deduction of the literature was vital in determining the current state of affairs, its theories and the developments in the sector. The synthesis of the literature reveals that humans are wired in a way that their sense of smell leads them to automatic approach-avoidance Responses inclusive of general attitudes, emotion and actions. The resultant responses are either positive or negative. Human being search for pleasurable experiences, and they always aim to avoid any painful or negative experiences as per nature. Based on the categorization theory, the study realized that it is possible to break pleasures into forms involving sensory, emotional and social traits (Porcherot 939). The review showed that emotional preferences typically stem from aesthetic stimulation. For instance, the smell of roses can remind one of a pleasant childhood, which arouses good moods in the individual. Sensory pleasances are the simplest forms to comprehend since they involve the pleasures created by sensory contact with outside stimuli. He further argues that Social pleasures arise from contact and interaction with peers. The experiences of persons can involve one form or a mix of the described pleasure types though in the end, individual summaries the experience as a memory that falls into a single

Method of Data Analysis Essay Example for Free

Method of Data Analysis Essay The researcher made use of SPSS version 15. 0 to be able to compute for the statistics required. For the degree of importance and actual performance of Body Shop, the descriptive statistics of means, standard deviations, and frequency distributions were generated. The Pearson product moment correlation coeffiecients were likewise computed; the bigger is the magnitude of the r-value, the stronger is the relationship between two variables. The sign denotes the direction of the relationship – that is, whether they are directly or inversely proportional (Salkind 2000). 3. 1 Conclusion. The present study purposively selected 150 respondents for its telephone interviews. Secondary data were the basis for the literature review and the design of the questionnaire. The latter was both face and content validated. 5 respondents were used to pilot test the instrument to ensure clarity of questions. SPSS 15. 0 was used for the statistical computations. ? Chapter 4 Results and Discussion 4. 1 Introduction This chapter presents the statistical results gathered from the survey questionnaires, and a substantive discussion of these results, culling from the literature in Chapter 2. 4. 2 Results Table 2. Gender: Frequency and Percentage Breakdown. The table shows that all of the respondents were female, accounting for 100% of the sample. Table 3. Age: Frequency and Percentage Breakdown. When asked about their age, majority of the respondets (42. 7%) answered that they were between 21-25 years old. This is followed by the 26-30 years old category (36. 0%); 31-35 years old at 10. 7%; then by 20 years old and 35-40 years old both at 5. 3% Table 4. Have You Purchased a Body Shop Product in the Past 12 Months? All of the respondents likewise expressed that they have purchased at least one Body Shop product over the past 12 months. Table 5. Means and Standard Deviations: Importance of Factors which Affect Cosmetic Product Choice. When asked to rate the importance of the factors that affect their choice of cosmetic products, the items were rated as follows, in descending order: the degree to which the product is environment-friendly (X= 4. 52, sd=. 59); the customer service of the store personnel (X=4. 32, sd=. 65); the sales promotions used for the product (X=4. 31, sd=.65); the values espoused by the company who sells the product (X=4. 16, sd=. 67); Having a globally renowned brand name (X= 4. 16, sd=. 59); trendiness or fashion sense represented by the product (X= 4. 11, sd=. 64); recommendations or positive feedback I garner from my friends, family and acquaintances (X=4. 05, sd=. 68); competitive price of the product (X= 4. 05, sd=. 61); the degree to which the product espouses â€Å"natural† rather than artificial (X=4. 00, sd=. 66); quality of the products (X=3. 88, sd=. 71); the convenience of going to the store location (X=3. 84, sd=.59); the variety of product offerings in the store (X= 3. 59, sd=. 59); Attractiveness of the packaging (X=3. 21, sd=. 52); information on the product’s label (X=3. 17, sd=. 80); and media advertisements of the product (X=2. 73, sd=. 86). Table 6. Means and Standard Deviations: Actual Performance of Factors which Affect Cosmetic Product Choice. On the other hand, when the respondents were asked to rate the actual performance of Body Shop through the same factors, the following are the results in descending order: the degree to which the product is environment-friendly (X=4.57, sd=. 49); The customer service of the store personnel (X=4. 48, sd=. 60); the degree to which the product espouses â€Å"natural† rather than artificial (X=4. 37, sd=. 58); the values espoused by the company who sells the product (X=4. 37, sd=. 67); having a globally renowned brand name (X=4. 20, sd=. 69); quality of the products (X=4. 14, sd=. 74); recommendations or positive feedback I garner from my friends, family and acquaintances (X=4. 11, sd=. 78); the sales promotions used for the product (X=4. 05, sd=. 75); the convenience of going to the store location (X=3. 94, sd=.60); Trendiness or fashion sense represented by the product (X=3. 90, sd=. 72); the variety of product offerings in the store (X=3. 79, sd=. 52); competitive price of the product (X=3. 63, sd=. 70); attractiveness of the packaging (X=3. 58, sd=. 49); information on the product’s label (X=3. 36, sd=. 66); and media advertisements of the product (X=2. 73, sd=. 85). Table 7. 1 Paired Means and Standard Deviations of Factors. Table 7. 2. T-test Results of Pairwise Comparisons of Importance and Actual Performance. The following pairwise comparisons are significant at the . 01 level: Quality of the products (t=-5. 92, p=. 00), the customer service of the store personnel (t=-3. 85, p=. 00); the variety of product offerings in the store (t=-6. 23, p=. 00); the convenience of going to the store location (t=-4. 07, p=. 00); attractiveness of the packaging (t=-7. 69, p=. 00); the degree to which the product espouses â€Å"natural† rather than artificial (t=-6. 12, p=. 00); the values espoused by the company who sells the product (X=4. 37, sd=. 00). In all these items, Body Shop has exceeded the degree of importance attached by the respondent on the factor. In contrast, the following factors are those in which Body Shop did not quite meet client expectations based on the degree of importance they have assigned to each: competitive price of the product (t=8. 66, p=. 00); trendiness or fashion sense represented by the product (t=3. 73, p=. 00); and the sales promotions used for the product (t=3. 98, p=. 00). There are no significant differences on the following items: brand (t=-. 816, p=. 416); the degree to which the product is environment friendly (1. 465, p=. 145); and positive feedback garnered from significant others (t=-1.070, p=. 287). These suggest that Body Shop has met expectations of the respondents based on the degree of importance they have attached to each factor. Table 8. Correlations among Patronage of Environmental Friendly Products, Social Responsibility of a Company, Patronage of Products and Companies that Care for the Environment, and Overall Satisfaction on Body Shop. The correlation results show that patronage of Body Shop products because of their being environment friendly is significantly correlated with their being a socially responsible company (r=. 397, p=.00). This means that patronage of Body Shop products increases as well with positive perceptions of their company as being socially responsible. Moreover, such patronage is also positively and significantly correlated with their expressed support for companies that espouse care for the environment (r=. 533, p=. 00). None of the statements were significantly related to overall satisfaction of Body Shop products, which suggests that there are other determinants of satisfaction apart from espousing environment friendliness and corporate social responsibility.

Rising Above a Corrupt World in Voltaires Candide Essay -- Candide Vo

Rising Above a Corrupt World in Voltaire's Candide      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Society can be, and is, corrupt in many different ways. Within our lives we are subject, but not limited to, corruptions within religion, corruptions of morals, and corruption within the government. Voltaire, the author of Candide, uses a naà ¯ve protagonist to illustrate his view of the world. Candide, surrounded by a corrupt society, and bombarded by various character defining events, is able to come to a higher understanding as to his philosophy of life.    Candide, by Voltaire, is a story about an optimistic young man who encounters various misfortunes on his search for an ideal world. Having unfortunately been kicked out of his home for the love of Lady Cunegonde, Candide suffers through many natural and unnatural catastrophes during his travels. However, holding on to his claim that all is for the best, Candide travels the world abroad with a totally naà ¯ve attitude. Constantly being reunited with many of his peers, Candide suffers the cruelty of the Bulgar army, a tempest, a shipwreck, an earthquake, and an auto da fe'.    Candide's optimism, stemming from his tutor Dr. Pangloss, keeps him totally determined to find his lost love, Lady Cunegonde, and an ideal world. However, Voltaire takes Candide around the world to discover that, contrary to the teachings of his distinguished tutor Dr. Pangloss, all is not always for the best.    In Candide, Voltaire uses general criticisms paired with specific examples to illustrate his idea concerning the contemporary corruption of the time. It is a "grinning critique of the 18th century's excesses and cruelties" (Kanfer 1). With Candide, Voltaire tried to show the world just how unjust and cruel it was.... ...we in fact free ourselves from the constraints of "the game". It is in this choice, and freedom associated with it, that enables us (Candide, Lady Cunegonde, etc...) to live the rest of our lives content and fulfilled.    Works Cited Beck, Ervin. "Voltaire's Candide." Explicator 57 (Summer99). Ebsco Academic Search Elite. 10 Oct. 2000. Bell, Ian A. "Candide: Overview." Reference Guide to World Literature 2nd ed. (1995). 5 Nov. 2001 Kanfer, Stefan. "Barnum meets Voltaire." New Leader 80 (1997). Ebsco Academic Search Elite. 10 Oct. 2000. Mason, Hayden. "Voltaire: Overview." Reference Guide to World Literature 2nd ed. (1995). 5 Nov. 2001 Voltaire. Candide. 1759. Ed. Stanley Appelbaum. Mineola, New York: Dover Publications, Inc., 1991. Wade, Ira O. "Voltaire's Quarrel with Science." Bucknell Review VIII.4 (1959): 287?298. 5 Nov. 2001

Part Three Chapter IV

IV ‘Very sad,' said Howard Mollison, rocking a little on his toes in front of his mantelpiece. ‘Very sad indeed.' Maureen had just finished telling them all about Catherine Weedon's death; she had heard everything from her friend Karen the receptionist that evening, including the complaint from Cath Weedon's granddaughter. A look of delighted disapproval was crumpling her face; Samantha, who was in a very bad mood, thought she resembled a monkey nut. Miles was making conventional sounds of surprise and pity, but Shirley was staring up at the ceiling with a bland expression on her face; she hated it when Maureen held centre stage with news that she ought to have heard first. ‘My mother knew the family of old,' Howard told Samantha, who already knew it. ‘Neighbours in Hope Street. Cath was decent enough in her way, you know. The house was always spotless, and she worked until she was into her sixties. Oh, yes, she was one of the world's grafters, Cath Weedon, whatever the rest of the family became.' Howard was enjoying giving credit where credit was due. ‘The husband lost his job when they closed the steelworks. Hard drinker. No, she didn't always have it easy, Cath.' Samantha was barely managing to look interested, but fortunately Maureen interrupted. ‘And the Gazette's on to Dr Jawanda!' she croaked. ‘Imagine how she must be feeling, now the paper's got it! Family's kicking up a stink – well, you can't blame them, alone in that house for three days. D'you know her, Howard? Which one is Danielle Fowler?' Shirley got up and stalked out of the room in her apron. Samantha slugged a little more wine, smiling. ‘Let's think, let's think,' said Howard. He prided himself on knowing almost everyone in Pagford, but the later generations of Weedons belonged more to Yarvil. ‘Can't be a daughter, she had four boys, Cath. Granddaughter, I expect.' ‘And she wants an inquiry,' said Maureen. ‘Well, it was always going to come to this. It's been on the cards. If anything, I'm surprised it's taken this long. Dr Jawanda wouldn't give the Hubbards' son antibiotics and he ended up hospitalized for his asthma. Do you know, did she train in India, or – ?' Shirley, who was listening from the kitchen while she stirred the gravy, felt irritated, as she always did, by Maureen's monopolization of the conversation; that, at least, was how Shirley put it to herself. Determined not to return to the room until Maureen had finished, Shirley turned into the study and checked to see whether anyone had sent in apologies for the next Parish Council meeting; as secretary, she was already putting together the agenda. ‘Howard – Miles – come and look at this!' Shirley's voice had lost its usual soft, flutey quality; it rang out shrilly. Howard waddled out of the sitting room followed by Miles, who was still in the suit he had worn all day at work. Maureen's droopy, bloodshot, heavily mascara-ed eyes were fixed on the empty doorway like a bloodhound's; her hunger to know what Shirley had found or seen was almost palpable. Maureen's fingers, a clutch of bulging knuckles covered in translucent leopard-spotted skin, slid the crucifix and wedding ring up and down the chain around her neck. The deep creases running from the corners of Maureen's mouth to her chin always reminded Samantha of a ventriloquist's dummy. Why are you always here? Samantha asked the older woman loudly, inside her own head. You couldn't make me lonely enough to live in Howard and Shirley's pocket. Disgust rose in Samantha like vomit. She wanted to seize the over-warm cluttered room and mash it between her hands, until the royal china, and the gas fire, and the gilt-framed pictures of Miles broke into jagged pieces; then, with wizened and painted Maureen trapped and squalling inside the wreckage, she wanted to heave it, like a celestial shot-putter, away into the sunset. The crushed lounge and the doomed crone inside it, soared in her imagination through the heavens, plunging into the limitless ocean, leaving Samantha alone in the endless stillness of the universe. She had had a terrible afternoon. There had been another frightening conversation with her accountant; she could not remember much of her drive home from Yarvil. She would have liked to offload on Miles, but after dumping his briefcase and pulling off his tie in the hall he had said, ‘You haven't started dinner yet, have you?' He sniffed the air ostentatiously, then answered himself. ‘No, you haven't. Well, good, because Mum and Dad have invited us over.' And before she could protest, he had added sharply, ‘It's nothing to do with the council. It's to discuss arrangements for Dad's sixty-fifth.' Anger was almost a relief; it eclipsed her anxiety, her fear. She had followed Miles out to the car, cradling her sense of ill-usage. When he asked, at last, on the corner of Evertree Crescent, ‘How was your day?' she answered, ‘Absolutely bloody fantastic.' ‘Wonder what's up?' said Maureen, breaking the silence in the sitting room. Samantha shrugged. It was typical of Shirley to have summoned her menfolk and left the women in limbo; Samantha was not going to give her mother-in-law the satisfaction of showing interest. Howard's elephantine footsteps made the floorboards under the hall carpet creak. Maureen's mouth was slack with anticipation. ‘Well, well, well,' boomed Howard, lumbering back into the room. ‘I was checking the council website for apologies,' said Shirley, a little breathless in his wake. ‘For the next meeting – ‘ ‘Someone's posted accusations about Simon Price,' Miles told Samantha, pressing past his parents, seizing the role of announcer. ‘What kind of accusations?' asked Samantha. ‘Receiving stolen goods,' said Howard, firmly reclaiming the spotlight, ‘and diddling his bosses at the printworks.' Samantha was pleased to find herself unmoved. She had only the haziest idea who Simon Price was. ‘They've posted under a pseudonym,' Howard continued, ‘and it's not a particularly tasteful pseudonym, either.' ‘Rude, you mean?' Samantha asked. ‘Big-Fat-Cock or something?' Howard's laughter boomed through the room, Maureen gave an affected shriek of horror, but Miles scowled and Shirley looked furious. ‘Not quite that, Sammy, no,' said Howard. ‘No, they've called themselves â€Å"The Ghost of Barry Fairbrother†.' ‘Oh,' said Samantha, her grin evaporating. She did not like that. After all, she had been in the ambulance while they had forced needles and tubes into Barry's collapsed body; she had watched him dying beneath the plastic mask; seen Mary clinging to his hand, heard her groans and sobs. ‘Oh, no, that's not nice,' said Maureen, relish in her bullfrog's voice. ‘No, that's nasty. Putting words into the mouths of the dead. Taking names in vain. That's not right.' ‘No,' agreed Howard. Almost absent-mindedly, he strolled across the room, picked up the wine bottle and returned to Samantha, topping up her empty glass. ‘But someone out there doesn't care about good taste it seems, if they can put Simon Price out of the running.' ‘If you're thinking what I think you're thinking, Dad,' said Miles, ‘wouldn't they have gone for me rather than Price?' ‘How do you know they haven't, Miles?' ‘Meaning?' asked Miles swiftly. ‘Meaning,' said Howard, the happy cynosure of all eyes, ‘that I got sent an anonymous letter about you a couple of weeks ago. Nothing specific. Just said you were unfit to fill Fairbrother's shoes. I'd be very surprised if the letter didn't come from the same source as the online post. The Fairbrother theme in both, you see?' Samantha tilted her glass a little too enthusiastically, so that wine trickled down the sides of her chin, exactly where her own ventriloquist's doll grooves would no doubt appear in time. She mopped her face with her sleeve. ‘Where is this letter?' asked Miles, striving not to look rattled. ‘I shredded it. It was anonymous; it didn't count.' ‘We didn't want to upset you, dear,' said Shirley, and she patted Miles' arm. ‘Anyway, they can't have anything on you,' Howard reassured his son, ‘or they'd have dished the dirt, the same as they have on Price.' ‘Simon Price's wife is a lovely girl,' said Shirley with gentle regret. ‘I can't believe Ruth knows anything about it, if her husband's been on the fiddle. She's a friend from the hospital,' Shirley elaborated to Maureen. ‘An agency nurse.' ‘She wouldn't be the first wife who hasn't spotted what's going on under her nose,' retorted Maureen, trumping insider knowledge with worldly wisdom. ‘Absolutely brazen, using Barry Fairbrother's name,' said Shirley, pretending not to have heard Maureen. ‘Not a thought for his widow, his family. All that matters is their agenda; they'll sacrifice anything to it.' ‘Shows you what we're up against,' said Howard. He scratched the overfold of his belly, thinking. ‘Strategically, it's smart. I saw from the get-go that Price was going to split the pro-Fields vote. No flies on Bends-Your-Ear; she's realized it too and she wants him out.' ‘But,' said Samantha, ‘it mightn't have anything to do with Parminder and that lot at all. It could be from someone we don't know, someone who's got a grudge against Simon Price.' ‘Oh, Sam,' said Shirley, with a tinkling laugh, shaking her head. ‘It's easy to see you're new to politics.' Oh, fuck off, Shirley. ‘So why have they used Barry Fairbrother's name, then?' asked Miles, rounding on his wife. ‘Well, it's on the website, isn't it? It's his vacant seat.' ‘And who's going to trawl through the council website for that kind of information? No,' he said gravely, ‘this is an insider.' An insider †¦ Libby had once told Samantha that there could be thousands of microscopic species inside one drop of pond water. They were all perfectly ridiculous, Samantha thought, sitting here in front of Shirley's commemorative plates as if they were in the Cabinet Room in Downing Street, as though one bit of tittle-tattle on a Parish Council website constituted an organized campaign, as though any of it mattered. Consciously and defiantly, Samantha withdrew her attention from the lot of them. She fixed her eyes on the window and the clear evening sky beyond, and she thought about Jake, the muscular boy in Libby's favourite band. At lunchtime today, Samantha had gone out for sandwiches, and brought back a music magazine in which Jake and his bandmates were interviewed. There were lots of pictures. ‘It's for Libby,' Samantha had told the girl who helped her in the shop. ‘Wow, look at that. I wouldn't kick him out of bed for eating toast,' replied Carly, pointing at Jake, naked from the waist up, his head thrown back to reveal that thick strong neck. ‘Oh, but he's only twenty-one, look. I'm not a cradle-snatcher.' Carly was twenty-six. Samantha did not care to subtract Jake's age from her own. She had eaten her sandwich and read the interview, and studied all the pictures. Jake with his hands on a bar above his head, biceps swelling under a black T-shirt; Jake with his white shirt open, abdominal muscles chiselled above the loose waistband of his jeans. Samantha drank Howard's wine and stared out at the sky above the black privet hedge, which was a delicate shade of rose pink; the precise shade her nipples had been before they had been darkened and distended by pregnancy and breast-feeding. She imagined herself nineteen to Jake's twenty-one, slender-waisted again, taut curves in the right places, and a strong flat stomach of her own, fitting comfortably into her white, size ten shorts. She vividly recalled how it felt to sit on a young man's lap in those shorts, with the heat and roughness of sun-warmed denim under her bare thighs, and big hands around her lithe waist. She imagined Jake's breath on her neck; she imagined turning to look into the blue eyes, close to the high cheekbones and that firm, carved mouth †¦ ‘†¦ at the church hall, and we're getting it catered by Bucknoles,' said Howard. ‘We've invited everyone: Aubrey and Julia – everyone. With luck it will be a double celebration, you on the council, me, another year young †¦' Samantha felt tipsy and randy. When were they going to eat? She realized that Shirley had left the room, hopefully to put food on the table. The telephone rang at Samantha's elbow, and she jumped. Before any of them could move, Shirley had bustled back in. She had one hand in a flowery oven glove, and picked up the receiver with the other. ‘Double-two-five-nine?' sang Shirley on a rising inflection. ‘Oh †¦ hello, Ruth, dear!' Howard, Miles and Maureen became rigidly attentive. Shirley turned to look at her husband with intensity, as if she were transmitting Ruth's voice through her eyes into her husband's mind. ‘Yes,' fluted Shirley. ‘Yes †¦' Samantha, sitting closest to the receiver, could hear the other woman's voice but not make out the words. ‘Oh, really †¦?' Maureen's mouth was hanging open again; she was like an ancient baby bird, or perhaps a pterodactyl, hungering for regurgitated news. ‘Yes, dear, I see †¦ oh, that shouldn't be a problem †¦ no, no, I'll explain to Howard. No, no trouble at all.' Shirley's small hazel eyes had not wavered from Howard's big, popping blue ones. ‘Ruth, dear,' said Shirley, ‘Ruth, I don't want to worry you, but have you been on the council website today? †¦ Well †¦ it's not very nice, but I think you ought to know †¦ somebody's posted something nasty about Simon †¦ well, I think you'd better read it for yourself, I wouldn't want to †¦ all right, dear. All right. See you Wednesday, I hope. Yes. Bye bye.' Shirley replaced the receiver. ‘She didn't know,' Miles stated. Shirley shook her head. ‘Why was she calling?' ‘Her son,' Shirley told Howard. ‘Your new potboy. He's got a peanut allergy.' ‘Very handy, in a delicatessen,' said Howard. ‘She wanted to ask whether you could store a needleful of adrenalin in the fridge for him, just in case,' said Shirley. Maureen sniffed. ‘They've all got allergies these days, children.' Shirley's ungloved hand was still clutching the receiver. She was subconsciously hoping to feel tremors down the line from Hilltop House.

Han China & Classical Athens DBQ Essay

Classical Athens and Han China were different due to their forms of government, the relationship between the individual and the state, their views on man and nature and their background information. Within the background information of both Athens and Han China there are very evident differences between the two. The first document shows the maps of both the empires side by side. The Han Empire is much bigger than the Athens city-state Attica which is a mere 50 miles long, while the Han Empire stretches over 2400 miles long. The size difference alone shows how the Empires would have developed differently. Since Attica is smaller, the people are closer together, therefore it would be easier to develop a democracy there. Han China, however, is very big and everyone is spread out so it would be very difficult to govern if every citizen had a say in the decisions. The second and third documents show the differences in size and distribution of the population in both empires. The differences here are clear. Han China is about 206 times greater in population than Athens. In Athens about 37% of their population are slaves while in China about 7% of their population are slaves or what they call, â€Å"mean people.† The majority, about 90%, of the population in the Han Empire consists of peasant farmers and some skilled urban workers. In Athens, farmers were very valued and the majority of the citizens there were landowning farmers. A map of population density would be very helpful in understanding the differences between the empires. This would show where most farming took place because the mass population is farmers and slaves. CONCLUSION************* Han China and Classical Athens governments are extremely different. Han China’s government was strictly centralized, with an emperor as their supreme and divine ruler; the Son of Heaven. People believed that Heaven chose the person who was ready to rule the Empire. Many people questioned how Heaven does this. In document 6, a dialogue between Mencius, a student of Confucius, and Wan Chang, Mencius’s student, Chang asks Mencius a few questions of Heaven choosing it’s next son. Mencius’s answer was that Heaven  does not speak but reveals itself by acts and deeds; Heaven sees with the eyes of its people and hears with the ears of his people. Document 7 talks about how Han China’s government system runs. Heaven selects the emperor, the sole ruler, but he needed people to help him rule. Therefore he appointed governors to each part of the Empire and then, in turn, they placed officials at smaller areas. During the Han Dynasty, the government decided to build and expand bureaucracy. The bureaucrats would have to go through an early form of a civil service exam in order to earn a law-making position at stages of government such as local, regional and federal. However, Stearn describes the Han Empire as the largest political system in the classical world, but Stearn’s bias can be seen here and must be considered. However, Classical Athens’ government is a democracy, not entirely a modern democracy like the United States, but a democracy nonetheless. Document 4 is a speech by Pericles, a Greek statesman, which talks about the empire’s qualities of their government. Any man, regardless of their social class can be elected to hold office. Pericles talks very highly about his government, â€Å"†¦ we are rather a role model to others.† His point of view on the government system may be affected by the fact that he is the General of that empire so he would be biased toward their government.

5 Great Healthcare Jobs That Dont Need a Degree

5 Great Healthcare Jobs That Dont Need a Degree for some people, spending years (and many thousands of dollars) in school to become a doctor or a nurse is a great option. but that isn’t the only way to find a rewarding job in healthcare. there are plenty of job opportunities across the industry for people who don’t have a bachelor’s degree. here are five of the most lucrative occupations for healthcare professionals who took a different route into this ever-growing industry.1. ultrasound technicianultrasound techs operate important diagnostic equipment in hospitals and outpatient facilities. we’re all familiar with the image of a technician presenting soon-to-be parents  with a sonogram image of their baby (and identifying which black-and-white smudge on the screen is junior), but the role is actually much broader: helping doctors to diagnose and treat a variety of conditions. it’s pretty lucrative, too: the median salary is $66,410, with the field growing at a breakneck pace of 46% by 2022.2. occupational health and safety technicianthese occupational techs aren’t necessarily involved in patient care, but rather evaluating health and safety risks in places like offices and public areas. you may not see them, but they serve a very important public health need and perform tests and analysis to make sure we’re all safer in our workplaces. the median salary is $44,470, with average growth of 11% by 2022.3. licensed practical nurse (lpn)/licensed vocational nurse (lvn)lpns and lvns provide crucial nursing support to registered nurses and doctors. these roles typically require a training program, but not a four-year degree (as is the case for most registered nurses). lpns and lvns can also be found in a large range of environments, from hospitals to home care to eldercare facilities, opening many opportunities.the median salary is $41,450, with speedy growth of 25% expected by 2022.4. surgical technologistsurgical technologists perform an essential non-doctor fun ction in operating rooms: setting up equipment, making sure all necessary elements are in place, and assisting or doctors and nurses during procedures. with a median salary of $41,000 and growth of 30% expected, this field is a great bet for the future if you have incredible attention to detail and aren’t squeamish!5. dispensing opticiando you have a knack for knowing when glasses just look right on someone’s face? this field might be for you. dispensing opticians take glasses and contact lenses prescribed by an ophthalmologist and work with the patients to ensure proper fit and arrange follow up care. with a median salary of $33,330 and 23% growth predicted (thanks to all of us staring at small screens 24 hours a day), this is a patient care area you might not realize is under the healthcare career umbrella.it’s worth noting here that many (if not all) of these jobs may require special licensing or training programs, depending on your state’s rules. youà ¢â‚¬â„¢ll want to do some research legwork before committing to any of these paths- but these occupations are a great way to get your foot in the door in one of the fastest-growing industries in the country.

Winston Churchill and Hitler Compare and Contrast essays

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Source Analysis - Accounts of Louis XIV - Essay Example got complete opportunity of introducing and applying his own political, economic and legal policies regarding the administration of country as well as foreign affairs of the monarch. He played decisive role in both peace and war times and France observed triumphs in many wars against England, Denmark and other neighboring countries under his leadership. The grand monarchy left a legacy of financial bankruptcy for his successors, who had to pay ransom amount of his misdeeds and lust for capturing more and more territories of the neighboring countries. One of the given documents has been written by Marquise De Sevigne, who was a French aristocrat of famous Burgundian family. She had developed great taste for writing and maintained command over letter-writing and correspondence in which she used to depict the royal personalities and their activities in a dexterous and refined manner. Her letters, later published by her grand-daughter in 1725, portrayed the political situation of her times and presented significant information of some specific political issue in a prà ©cised but comprehensive way. The given letter was written in 1671 and portrays the King Louis XIV and the procedure of his court in a magnificent way. This letter was written on 26th of April, 1671, at a time when the King had decided to wage a war against Holland in order to subjugate the poor country by threatening her and seizing her territories to get heavy war indemnity and leave long term fear of France over Holland. The royal court spent a lot on such adventures and the masses had to suffer a lot in the form of heavy taxation. The poor peasantry had to bear the brunt of the extravaganza consumed on dinners and drinks of the royal adventures. The Kind went out to see his commander to remote area of Chantilly, which cost a lot to the nation. Moreover, a luxurious dinner had been planned in the forest to enjoy the moments and entertain the nobility so that their unconditional support could be

Counseling clients Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Counseling clients - Essay Example The offenders used in this context and to which the assessment tool applies are adult offenders. The Prevention Assessment Tool or PAT has various domains that help explain the criminal behavior among adults. In the first domain, charges as well as referrals are employed to assess the possibility of re-offending by the adults. Referrals are included here if they have a qualifying disposition that may include adjudication withheld. The second domain helps to assess information. In initial assessments, behavior is assessed for the past six months. In the final assessment, behavior is assessed in the last four weeks and may incorporate a program administered for four weeks or less. The third domain focuses on employment and use of free time. It establishes what the adult offender does during his or her free time. Community service is also included in this domain and this information helps to evaluate the practicability of various programs used to correct conduct (Phipott&Grimme 2009). Incorporating this assessment tool will identify the various areas that require technical assistance. This action is possible because the tool is designed to evaluate various crime prevention needs. This tool is particularly helpful because it can access four basic sectors of justice. They include; cross-cutting issues, custodial and non-custodial measures, access to justice, as well as policing. This assessment tool is administered through paperwork. The assessment tool is, however, not designed to give an in-depth analysis of the offenders and their behaviors. The tool is meant to provide an initial assessment. This assessment is based on aspects such as crime concerns, problems and capacities, and the socio-economic situations. The tool also provides a concrete guide on issues that examine the needs for preventing crime both locally and nationally. The application of this tool also has

Case6 Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Case6 - Article Example For this reason, the state has encouraged several new fund-raising suggestions, including the one advanced by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. He has tried to find new firefighting funds with an insurance surcharge on all home and business owners that would likely raise $130 million extra yearly. Some of the cash will be used to cover the cost the state’s fire department called Cal-Fire This is a general alternative that the state would have to finance state services in California because since Cal-Fire’s budget comes widely from the state’s general fund incurred by all California’s taxpayers. According to San Diego senator, Christine Kehoe, the citizens are not paying enough for fire protection and argue that frenzied buildings in rural areas increase the burden of state of firefighters. In this regard, the senator has introduced a bill in the state legislature similar to what the LAO is proposing an annual fee paid by resident who live in rural areas to help offset the cost of firefighting. CalFire’s mission has changed as well. The service is mandated with protecting 31 million acres of wild land which includes the states timber stands, watershed and huge agriculture lands. CalFire protects lands that benefit the public in general. I agree with the sentiment that fire fighting could be financed by tax. The local government of respective states should introduce tax on people so that whenever fires break out, it can be easily contained because of the availability of fire fighting resources. It is rational to argue that if there was a taxpayer staying in the place with no or little risk of a fire or wildfire, they should be able to pay for services if a fire or wildfire was close their home. If this could be the case, I think that Tennessee could get ways to utilize those funds to enhance firefighting in where they lack the resources. I concur with the argument that If a charge for service was introduced, it would have to be conducted

Climate change Essay Example for Free

Climate change Essay There is nothing that we as individuals can do to prevent climate change Nowadays climate change is a growing threat not only to some countries but to the whole world environment. We have to become aware of this issue and do something to avoid it from getting worse. Personally I disagree with this title because I think that in fact there are a lot of things that we as individuals can do to prevent climate change. Firstly, everything we do in our routine lives emits carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. That means that even making small changes in what we do, can have a positive impact in the prevention of climate change. So, as a first step, we should replace the use of cars by public transport which is much less polluting. Secondly, we should turn off appliances, machines and lights off when weve finished using them, it is very helpful to save energy and it costs nothing. In addition, another simple way to save energy and water is to take shorter showers. So, as you will use less hot water, the water heater will save a big amount of energy. Finally, in my opinion, we need to work together as a community to achieve success; otherwise the effort that some people could make would be ruined by the ones who keep polluting the atmosphere. So, it is important to run campaigns to make everyone know how we are endangering our planet and that there are many really simple things that we can do to protect it. In conclusion, I believe that there is a lot that we as individuals can do to prevent climate change, now we have to put it in practice.

Hardball :: movie essays

Bio: 16 year old high school student Essay: Gambling addict Connor O’Neil ends up deep in debt after he borrows money from almost every loan shop in town to fuel his addiction. In order to pay the mounds of money that he owes, he is requested to coach a little-league baseball team, the Kekambas. At first, Connor doesn’t start off right with the kids and doesn’t see the point of him being there. Even though Connor paid the kids no attention, they were somehow inspired by his presence. Later, He realizes that he must come to grips at what he wants in his life, and ultimately forms a special bond with the kids on the team.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  At the beginning of the movie, we see Connor O’Neil at his worst. The personality traits he has are reflective of an orange. One of the more positive traits is being able to take decisive action. This can been seen in beginning of the movie, where he is in James’ office, and he immediately decides to coach the Kekambas, after the promise of a steady income. Connor shows that he likes sports, by always watching or betting on basketball games, and baseball games. Another good trait is his ability to solve problems, as he did when there was a shortage in jerseys. He solved this problem by telling G-baby of the shortage, but still letting him stay on the team. He is very much a risk-taker, and loves to live for the moment. This can be proven, as he is constantly gambling in the beginning, even if he needs to borrow money to pay off his huge debts. Connor possesses many typical behaviours of an out-of-esteem orange, as well. First, he uses stimulants, suc h as drugs, alcohol, cigarettes and etc., when things don’t go his way, as seen in first couple of scenes. Second, he is physically aggressive, as shown in the quote, â€Å"no one can kick my ass better than I can†. Third he showed that he wanted to drop out of coaching the Kekambas by saying, â€Å"I’m bailing out†, when he found it uninteresting. Finally, he lied to Ms. Wilks, by saying he was a businessman, who just finished an errand in Canada.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Even though Connor is wary of coaching at first, he begins to see the harsh reality of the kids’ lives and the nature of being brought up in such a tough neighborhood.

Wage vs Salary

Introduction: Wage and salary are the two important elements for designing compensation package for any organization. Often, we mistake considering the wage and salary as synonymous. But there are some substantial differences between them. In order to get higher productivity, it is much more important to know the different between wage and salary. Before comparison, try to penetrate the insights of them. Wage: Wages are generally paid per hour. This means that you have to be present and working in order to get paid. Most of the time, wage jobs are not as inclusive when it comes to things like paid vacations, or paid sick days. Wage earners often have to give up pay for leaving early, coming in late, missing a day, or taking a vacation. Historically, we often refer to manual labor jobs as wage jobs, and positions. Wage earners are more likely to be found in positions with high turnover, while salaries are often assigned for positions with low turnover Wages are more likely to be added up into additional payments. If you work 50 hours in one week, you may receive your first 40 hours at the regular pay rate, and the additional 10 hours at 1 Â ½ times your normal pay rate. Depending on the structure and traditions of different economies around the world, wage rates are either the product of market forces (supply and demand), as is common in the United States, or wage rates may be influenced by other factors such as tradition, social structure and seniority, as in Japan. Salary: A salary is an amount paid for a particular job, regardless of hours worked, in a package payment system. Salary refers to how much you get paid every year. Salary earners rarely have to punch a time clock, or keep an accurate account of their hours, because they get paid for performance rather than by the hour. Salaried workers are much more likely to have paid sick days and paid vacations, and are not docked pay for being late or leaving early from time to time. Salary can also be counted in terms other than money. Some companies consider reimbursement for things like medical insurance as part of your salary. You can even find some companies blending education and retirement contributions as part of your salary package. Professional jobs are salaried jobs and it has low turnover compare to wage jobs. It might include a base salary, pension, fringe benefit, bonuses, stock options and so on.

Ethnic Drinking Subcultures

Ethnic DrinkiETHNIC DRINKING SUBCULTURES by Andrew M. Greeley, WilliamC. McCready and Gary Theisen Chapter One (Page 1-14) Says : Cultures have been able to integrate drinking into a religious and symbolic context. Irish tend to have a serious drinking problem with drinking; Jews and Italians do not. There are two psychological explanations to be found for alcoholism-cultural and psychological. In a culture in which the demands for male supportiveness are high and there is low support for assertiveness in the male role, the author argues that drinking increases in men at least.The author also discuss the influence of drinking socialization on drinking patterns. Does : It provides the background knowledge required to understand the contents of the book. It introduces the proposition through specialized, concrete and qualitative premises. Chapter Three (Page 36-52) Says : Different cultures are evaluated on the he characteristics of power and support. The Irish and Italians are high on power and support, while the Swedes and Jews are low.Italians and Jews are high on support than are Irish and Swedes. On this basis, it can expected that the groups would rank themselves in terms of alcohol consumption in the following order : irish, Swedes, Italians, Jews. Thus, there is a striking difference in the drinking environment of each drinking group. Does : It provides reasons in support of the proposition. It provides concrete and qualitative examples. It also provides several descriptive examples and qualitative evidence.Chapter Six (Page 83-89) Says : The chapter examines whether the different ethnic groups may have different ‘addiction' subcultures. The Irish may drink more because they have an ‘oral dependency' subculture. While various groups do not differ enormously in their adolescent years in their levels of drug consumption, young people from the different groups seem to find their way into peer-group environments where the propensity to abuse alcoh ol and drugs is high.Does : It provides several specialized and concrete research findings. It introduces several implications of the proposition. Chapter Eight (Page 95-101) Says : There are different drinking subcultures among ethnic groups studied, which influence the drinking behavior and ones propensity to have drinking problems. These cultures are remarkably durable, persisting across generations. Does : It provides a conclusion for the book, and highlights the most important facts related to drinking and ethnicity.

Study on Infiltration and Soil Texture Under Banana and Maize Land Use Systems in Gatundu Catchment, Kiambu County, Kenya Essay Example

Study on Infiltration and Soil Texture Under Banana and Maize Land Use Systems in Gatundu Catchment, Kiambu County, Kenya Essay Example Study on Infiltration and Soil Texture Under Banana and Maize Land Use Systems in Gatundu Catchment, Kiambu County, Kenya Essay Study on Infiltration and Soil Texture Under Banana and Maize Land Use Systems in Gatundu Catchment, Kiambu County, Kenya Essay KENYATTA UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF PURE AND APPLIED SCIENCES DEPARTMENT OF GEOGRAPHY STUDY ON INFILTRATION AND SOIL TEXTURE UNDER BANANA AND MAIZE LAND USE SYSTEMS IN GATUNDU CATCHMENT, KIAMBU COUNTY,KENYA KAKAIRE JOEL I56EA/20023/2012 ICEDUNA MARION I56EA/20021/2012 MWM714: FIELD MAPPING AND LABORATORY TECHQNIUES FIELD REPORT COURSE INSTRUCTOR: DR. MAKOKHA GEORGE TABLE OF CONTENTS CONTENTS PAGES 1. 0 Introduction 1 1. Significance of the study . 2 1. 2 Objectives .. 2 1. 2. 1 Specific Objectives . 2 2. 0 METHODS AND MATERIALS . 3 2. INTRODUCTION.. 3 2. 2 Study area .. 3 2. 3 Research design 6 2. 4 Data collection procedures and laboratory analysis . 6 2. 4. Soil Texture 6 2. 4. 2 Infiltration .. 7 3. 0 RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS 8 3. 1 Soil Infiltration Measurements . 8 4. CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION .. 13 5. 0 REFERENCES.. 15 APPENDIX 17 Appendix 1: Data sheet for Infiltration for Banana and Maize Fields .. 17 ii LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1: Infiltration Curve of Banana field . 0 Figure 2: Cumulative Infiltration of Banana Field 10 Figure 3: Infiltration curve of Maize Field 11 Figure 4: Cumulative infiltration of Maize Field 11 iii LIST OF TABLES Table 1: Description of infiltration sites .. 8 Table 2. Summary of the soil texture report from the test sites .. 12 LIST OF PLATES Plate 1: Infiltration in Banana and Maize field respectively 7 iv v 1. 0 Introduction Water is one of the most important factors limiting the growth of plants in all Agricultural systems. In this respect, good water management is necessary in order to solve water related problems such as irrigation and erosion control. Infiltration is the process by which water arriving at the soil surface enters the soil. This process affects surface runoff, soil erosion, and groundwater recharge (Gregory et al. , 2005). The rate at which it occurs is known as infiltration rate which mainly depends on the characteristics of the soil. ( Saxton, 1986) reported that, the major soil and water characteristics affecting infiltration rates are: the initial moisture content, condition of the surface, hydraulic conductivity of the soil profile, texture, porosity, degree of swelling of soil colloids, organic matter, vegetative cover and duration of irrigation or rainfall and of these, soil texture is predominant. Therefore the measurement of water infiltration into the soil is an important indication in regard to the efficiency of irrigation and drainage, optimizing the availability of water for plants, improving the yield of crops, minimizing erosion and describing the soil permeability. Land use and land cover changes among other factors have also been reported to infuluence the infiltration rate of soil. According to (Suresh, 2008), for a given soil, the land use pattern plays a vital role in determining its infiltration characteristics. Different land use practices affect infiltration rates in different ways. (Taylor et al, 2009), observed that intensified land use results primarily in a change in soil structure rather than soil compaction. When land is put to certain uses, there is an accompanying change in the properties of the soil and this alters the hydrological balance of the soil. According to (Osuji, 2010) infiltration rates in tropical forests under bush fallow were found to be high compared to arable crop land. In addition, Majaliwa et al. 2010) explains that the change from natural forest cover to tea and Eucalyptus induces changes in top soil properties like exchangeable Magnesium and Calcium, available Phosphorus, soil organic matter, soil pH, and soil structure of sub soil. Furthermore, Land use/type cover influences soil organic matter evolution which is a vital indicator of soil quality and it has implications on soil properties like aggregate stability/soil structure, infiltration and aeration rates , microbial activity and nutrient release (Boye and 1 Albrect, 2001). Additionally a soil’s water retention characteristic, is affected by soil organic matter (SOM) content and porosity, which are significantly influenced by land use type (Zhou et al. , 2008). Gatundu catchment is one of the catchments in Kenya which have experienced soil degradation due to conversion of natural forest to crop land mainly banana, maize and Coffee. This has been fastened by the increasing population in the catchment leaving most of the natural forest cover cleared and replaced by crop land. The result has been massive soil degradation, through loss of plant nutrients and organic matter, soil erosion, river bank degradation; build up of salinity, and damage to soil structure (Bekunda et al. , 2010). Therefore this study aims to determine the degree of relationship between infiltration rates and the land use types in two selected sites under Banana and Maize cropping systems in Gatundu sub catchment. 1. 1 Significance of the study The knowledge of water retention capacity and land use effects is important for efficient soil and water management. Upon conversion of natural lands to cultivated fields, water retention capacity is strongly influenced (Schwartz et al. , 2000; Bormann and Klaassen, 2008; Zhou et al. , 2008). Thus, infiltration rate is an important factor in sustainable agriculture, effective watershed management, surface runoff, and retaining water and soil resources. Properly designed and constructed infiltration facilities can be one of the most effective flow control (and water quality treatment) storm water control practices, and should be encouraged where conditions are appropriate (Ecology, 2005) 1. Objectives The objective of the study is to determine the effect of banana and Maize land use practices on water infiltration into the soil in Gatundu catchment 1. 2. 1 Specific Objectives 2 1. 2. Describe how different soil types influence water flow through the soil Compare Water movements through the soil at two different sites (Banana and Maize fields) 3. To find out how soil texture influences water infiltra tion into the soil 2. 0 METHODS AND MATERIALS 2. INTRODUCTION This section covers the methods and materials used in the study which include description of the study area, experimental design, field data collection procedures for soil samples and data analysis procedures; laboratory and statistical data analysis using Microsoft office package. 2. 2 Study area Gatundu district is one of the districts located in central province of Kenya at 1 ° 1 0 South, 36 ° 56 0 East; covering an area of 481. 1 km2 and borders Thika district to the East and North and Kiambu East to the South and West (Figure 5). The population density varies from 370 persons per Km2 in Chania and Mangu divisions to 636 persons per Km2 in Gatundu division on the 2008 population projections. Gatundu division is the most densely populated division with 636 persons per square Km. The population over the plan period is expected to increase marginally thereby increasing demand and competition for the available resources like water and land resources (Gatundu District Development plan, 2008 -2012). 3 ` Figure 5: Map of Gatundu south Topography features of Gatundu district Gatundu district is located about 1520 m ASL at the lowest point and 2280 m ASL at the highest point. There are several permanent rivers and streams that traverse the landscape and these include Ndaruga, Thiririka, and Kahuga. All these rivers flow from the Aberdare ranges to the west and towards the southeast joining River Tana thus forming part of Tana and Athi river 4 drainage system. The train is conducive for gravity system of irrigation (Gatundu District Development plan, 2008 -2012). Terrain Gatundu district is characterized by a ragged terrain, which has had both the negative and positive impacts on the development of the district. The steep slopes and valleys characteristic of the most part of the district, coupled with intensive crop cultivation render most of these areas susceptible to soil erosion making it necessary for farmers to practice terracing which is costly. The conducive environment in the district favour the cultivation of tea and coffee however, other crops like cereals, horticultural crops such as pineapple, mangoes, avocadoes and vegetables plus bananas (Gatundu District Development plan, 2008 -2012). Soils Gatundu district has soils that correspond entirely with typical Aberdare Humic Andosols and Nitosols. These Nitosols have great agricultural potential coupled with the relatively high rainfall regime in the region. Production of tea, coffee, tropical fruits and food crops such as maize, beans and potatoes are the most common sources of income to the households. The hilly terrain of the district has had profound effect on the soils, resulting into low and moderate fertility levels (Gatundu District Development plan, 2008 -2012). Climate The rainfall pattern is bi-modal with two distinct rainy seasons, long rains falling in March and May while short rains between October and November. The amount received varies with altitude ranging from 800 mm to 2000 mm with the highest rainfall being experienced in the tea zones. The mean temperature is 200 C with coldest months being June, July and August. The hottest months are February, March and April. Temperatures vary from 80C minimum to 300 C maximum during the year. (Gatundu District Development plan, 2008 -2012) 5 2. 3 Research design A completely randomized block design was used for the study. Two treatments were considered (Banana and Maize land uses) and the blocking was landscape position. For Each land use type, only one experiment was carried out because of time. . 4 Data collection procedures and laboratory analysis 2. 4. 1 Soil Texture Five (5) soil samples from both Banana and Maize land uses at different landscape positions were collected. The sampling was done at depth of 0 -15 cm and were collected using a 50 mm diameter auger using a Random sampling Technique as explained by Haghighi et al. (2010) . The 0- 15cm depth was considered because it’s the major agricultural layer and root zone for most of the crops. The five soil samples from each land use were thoroughly mixed to obtain composite soil samples which were taken to Makerere University Laboratory for Analysis. Soil texture was determined using the hydrometer method described by Bouyoucos (1962) and results presented in percentages of mineral proportions. The samples were passed through an electric shaker for 30 minutes and then the sample was treated with sodium hexametaphosphate to complex Ca++, Al3+, Fe3+, and other cations that bind clay and silt particles into aggregates. The density of the soil suspension was determined with a hydrometer which was calibrated to read in grams of solids per liter after the sand settled out and again after the silt settled. Corrections were made for the density and temperature of the dispersing solutions. The percentages of mineral fractions were calculated as below; Percent clay: % clay = corrected hydrometer reading at 6 hrs, 52 min. x 100/ wt. of sample Percent silt: % silt = corrected hydrometer reading at 40 sec. x 100/ wt. of sample % clay Percent sand: 6 % sand = 100% % silt % clay Results were reported as percentages of the mineral fraction, % sand, % silt, and % clay. Soil texture was based on the USDA textural triangle. 2. 4. 2 Infiltration The infiltration rate was determined using double-ring infiltrometer as described by American Society for Testing and Materials (1994). It consists of two concentric metal rings. The rings were driven into the ground and filled with water. The outer ring helped to prevent divergent flow. The drop-in water level or volume in the inner ring was used to calculate the infiltration rate. Clock time was recorded when the test began and noted the water level on the ruler at different time intervals as seen in Appendix 1, recorded the drop in water level in the inner ring on the ruler and kept adding water to bring the level back to approximately the original level. The tests were conducted for a period of one to two hours, until the infiltration rate became constant. The infiltration rate was calculated from the rate of fall of the water level in the inner ring as seen in Appendix 1 in the tenth minutes in both the banana field and maize fields. The data was analyzed by drawing graphs of infiltration rate and cumulative infiltration. In both cases, curves were obtained. Plate 1: Infiltration in Banana and Maize field respectively 7 3. 0 RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS 3. Soil Infiltration Measurements Soil infiltration measurements were made at 2 sites in Gatundu sub catchment (Plate 1 above). The two sites have the same soil characteristics, therefore they have been classified by the different land uses and land scape positions coupled by other field observations. Sites were selected based on land use, proximity to water source, site accessibility, and soil type. Table 1: Description of infiltration sites Site Location Banana Site Observed and use and field observations Site with Banana plantations, Has some mounds, some trees adjacent to the field, it’s on a higher elevation Maize Site Site with Maize, The site is close to a trench used for moving water, Its close to the road , It’s on a lower elevation Figure 1(Banana land use) and Figure 3(Maize land use) shows that the water infiltrates at a very high rate at the beginning with 1800 mm/hr and 720mm/hr respectively; because the hydraulic gradient is high and then keeps declining with time until it becomes fairly steady after the soils become saturated, which is termed as basic infiltration rate. This is also emphasized by Horton (1940) where he asserts that infiltration becomes constant with time as the soil column reaches fully saturated conditions which occurred at 40th and 49th minute time intervals in Banana and Maize Land use Systems as seen in appendix 1. Rubin and Steinhardt (1963) also showed that the final infiltration rate reached under these conditions is equal to the vertical hydraulic conductivity of a saturated soil. 8 The steady state in Maize was attained earlier than in banana land use corresponding to 204mm/hr and 450mm/hr respectively. This can be associated to soil disturbances during ploughing and land preparation season after season for annual crops like maize compared to banana field (Perennial) which have less soil disturbances. The scenario under maize land use may lead to soil compaction as a result of continuous cultivation. This is emphasized by Pitt et al. , 2002 and 2008; Pitt et al. , (1999b) who found substantial reductions in infiltration rates due to soil compaction. The implication is that beyond the steady point (saturation point), if more water is applied to the soil, it results into surface water runoff. Infiltration depends upon physical and hydraulic properties of the soil moisture content, previous wetting history, structural changes in the layers and air entrapment. The basic infiltration rate of maize land use is lower than that of Banana land use system as seen in Appendix 1; this can be associated to a number of factors although not conclusive for the attained results; 1. The Initial moisture content; the study was carried out in a rainy season, therefore for saturated soils, the infiltration falls to the aturated hydraulic conductivity almost instantaneously. 2. Considering the type of land use in each of the sites; Soils under Perennials (Banana Land use) are subjected to less interferences in terms of land preparations compared to land under annuals (Maize Land use) which correlates with the obtained results of 450mm/hr and 204mm/hr respectively 3. The surrounding of the site; the Maize field is on a lower elevation and near a trench which collects water, therefore itâ€⠄¢s possible that the soils could easily reach saturation 9 Infiltration rate mm/hr 000 1800 1600 1400 1200 1000 800 600 400 200 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Infiltration rate,mm/hr infiltration rate mm/hr Time(minutes) Figure 1: Infiltration Curve of Banana field Cummulative infiltration cummulative infiltration,mm 500 450 400 350 300 250 200 150 100 50 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Cummulative infiltration Time,hrs Figure 2: Cumulative Infiltration of Banana Field In Banana land use, Infiltration was recorded at time intervals of 1, 5 and 10 minutes and in Maize land use it was at 3, 6 and 10 minutes time intervals (Appendix 1) 10 Infiltration rate/hr 800 Infiltration rate mm/hr 700 600 500 400 300 200 100 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Infiltration rate/hr Time,hrs Figure 3: Infiltration curve of Maize Field Cummulative infiltration Cummulative infiltration,mm 350 300 250 200 150 100 50 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Cummulative infiltration Time,hrs Figure 4: Cumulative infiltration of Maize Field 11 Table 2 below compares the infiltration rates of two sites, classified according to the texture of the soil profiles in Banana and Maize land use systems. In each set of measurements, the infiltration rate of the Banana field belonging to the sandy clay loam was much higher than Maize field belonging to clay loam because of the variation in the physical properties of the two textural classes. In the banana field, basic infiltration rate was attained at 450mm/hr which is higher than that of maize field, 204mm/hr and this explains the relationship between soil texture, structure and infiltration which was obtained in our results where the Banana field with sandy clay loams having larger pores allowed in more water to infiltrate compared to clay loam with relatively smaller pores. From our results, The banana field reached saturation earlier (40th minute) than the Maize field (49th minute) which deviates from the assumption that the field at lower elevation reaches saturation earlier than the other on the higher elevation, and this case the maize field was on a lower elevation. As it is not possible to vary soil texture independently of other characteristics it is not inferred that the infiltration rates are caused by texture. Table 2 Summary of the soil texture report from the test sites Sample Percentage % Sand Banana Field Maize Field 50 40 Silt 26 26 Clay 24 34 Sand clay loam Clay loam Textural Class 12 4. 0 CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION Generally from the findings, the two sites registered high basic infiltration rates with banana and maize land use having 405mm/hr and 204mm/hr respectively. The two sites as well reached saturation easily because of the amount of water that was held within the soil because of the rainy season. Several factors influenced the test; measuring rapidly changing water levels was difficult especially for one minute time intervals and therefore subject to inaccuracy and the local site features, challenges in elevation and the soils being too soft which kept altering the position of the ruler and varying the depth thus may have affected individual test results. Therefore the study required more data collection and time to be able to sample many sites at different time intervals. For this study, tests were conducted during a rainy period in December, 2012, where the water table was expected to be above most soil layers. However, Infiltration is a key parameter in Watershed management therefore Properly designed and constructed infiltration facilities can be one of the most effective flow control (and water quality treatment) , and should be encouraged where conditions are appropriate (Ecology, 2005). Additionally infiltration separates water into two major components surface runoff and subsurface recharge, therefore assessment and Evaluation of runoff risk has assumed an increased importance because of concerns about associated pollution hazards in which pollutants are likely to be transferred from soil to rivers and lakes. The speed of irrigation of fields is based on infiltration tests and data; in surface irrigation, infiltration changes dramatically throughout the irrigation season. The water movements alter the surface structure and geometry which in turn affect infiltration rates; therefore accurate determination of infiltration rates is essential for reliable prediction of surface runoff. As environmental impact assessments are concerned with long-term effects, it is essential that the 13 infiltration data on which they are based should be reasonably stable. For planning purposes it is essential to know the stability of infiltration data. 4 5. 0 REFERENCES American Society for Testing and Materials, 1994, Standard test method for infiltration rate of soils in field using double-ring infiltrometer: ASTM Publication D-3385-94, 7 p. Bouyoucos, G. J. 1962. Hydrometer method improved for making particle size analysis of soils. Agron. J. 54:464-465. Ecology (2005) Stormwater Management Manual for Weste rn Washington; Olympia, WA. Washington State Department of Ecology Water Quality Program. Publication Numbers 05-10-029 through 05-10-033. ecy. wa. gov/pubs/0510029. pdf Gregory, J. H. , Dukes, M. D. , Miller, G. L. , and Jones P. H. (2005) Analysis of double-ring infiltration techniques and development of a simple automatic water delivery system. Applied Turfgrass Science. Haghighi. F. , Gorjiz, M. Shorafa M. (2010). Effects of Land Use Change on Important Soil Properties. Land Degrad. Develop. 21, 496–502. Horton, R. E. , 1940, An approach towards a physical interpretation of infiltration capacity: Soils Science Society of America Proceedings, v. 5, p. 399-417. Osuji, G. E,Okon M. A; Chukwuma and Nwaire (2010): Infiltration characteristics of soils under selected landuse practices in Oweri, Southern Nigeria. World journal of Agricultural Sciences 6(3): 322 326 Pitt, R. ; J. Lantrip; R. Harrison; C. Henry, and D. Hue (1999b) Infiltration through Disturbed Urban Soils and Compost-Amended Soil Effects on Runoff Quality and Quantity; EPA 600-R-00-016. U. S. Environmental Protection Agency. National Risk Management Research Laboratory. Office of Research and Development. Cincinnati, OH: 231 pp. Pitt, R; Chen, S. -E; Clark, S. E (2002) Compacted Urban Soils Effects on Infiltration and Bioretention Stormwater Control Designs; Proc. , 9th Int. Conf. on Urban Drainage (9ICUD). Portland, Oregon. Pitt, R; Chen, S-E; Clark, S; Swenson, J. , and Ong, C. K (2008) Compaction’s Impacts on Urban Storm-Water Infiltration; J. Irrig. and Drain. Engrg. , 134(5), 652-658. Rubin, J. , and Steinhardt, R. , 1963, Soils water relations during rain infiltration; Part ITheory: Soils Science Society of America Proceedings, v. 27, p. 246-251 Saxton, K. E. , W. L. Rawls, J. S. Rosenberger and R. I Papendick, 1986. Estimating generalized soil water characteristics from texture. Soil Sci. Soc. Amer. J. , 50: 1031-1036 15 Schwartz, R. C. , Unger, P. W. Evett S. R. , 2000. Land use effects on soil hydraulicproperties. Suresh, D. (2008). Land and Water Management Principles: New Delhi, Shansi Publishers Taylor, M. , M. Mulholland and D. Thornburrow,2009. Infiltration Characteristics of Soils Under forestry and Agriculture in the Upper Waikato Catchment. Report: TR/18 http:// www. ew. govt. nz/publications/ Technical-Reports/ TR-200918/ Zhou, X. , Lin, H. S. , White, E. A. , 2008. Surface soil hydraulic properties in four soil series under different land uses and their temporal changes. Catena. 73, 180-188. 16 APPENDIX Appendix 1: Data sheet for Infiltration for Banana and Maize Fields Banana Field Time Reading clock on difference, Cumulative min time, min Infiltration Water Level, Infiltration, Infiltratio rate cm cm n, mm mm/min Infiltration rate mm/hr Cumulative infiltration, mm 12:32 12:33 12:34 12:35 12:36 12:37 12:42 12:47 12:52 12:57 13:02 13:07 1 1 1 1 1 5 5 5 5 5 10 1 2 3 4 5 10 15 20 25 30 40 12. 0 13. 5 13. 8 14. 0 14. 3 9. 4 12. 8 11. 0 12. 0 12. 7 9. 8 15. 0 15. 0 15. 0 15. 0 15. 0 15. 0 15. 0 15. 0 17. 0 17. 3 17. 3 17. 5 3. 0 1. 5 1. 2 1. 0 0. 7 5. 6 2. 2 4. 0 5. 0 4. 6 7. 5 17 30 15 12 10 7 56 22 40 50 46 75