Mysteries Surrounding Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease Essays - Free Essays

Mysteries Surrounding Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease Essays - Free Essays Mysteries Surrounding Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease The Mysteries Surrounding Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease is a killer. What we know is that it wastes no time. Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease will kill a person within one year of contraction. It is yet unknown how Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease chooses its victims, but it does seem to have accomplices, known as the spongiform encephalopathies, in the rest of the animal kingdom. It is possible that it may be known what means Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease uses in order to annihilate its victims, but the theory surrounding that is still controversial. By examining the facts and observing the evidence we shall one day uncover the truth behind this malicious killer. Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease is a rare neuro-degenerative disease. Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease is a rare neuro-degenerative disease that leads to the loss of coordination, dementia and death. Death usually occurs within a year of the onset of symptoms. Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease is a human disease and can be dormant for as long as thirty years. The average age of onset is sixty years, but there are recorded instances of onset as easily as sixteen years and as old as 80 years. It is estimated that, world-wide, between 0.5 and 1 case per million population occurs annually. Increased incidence in some regions of the world has been attributed to the possibility of a genetic predisposition. In the United States the incidence has been reported as being 0.9 deaths per million population attributable to Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease. This is an inexact figure however, due to the fact that Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease is not a reportable disease in the United States (Holman) and the Center for Disease Con trol does not actively monitor the disease (Altman). To track the disease the Center for Disease Control has initiated a four-state study of death certificates (Altman), but since death certificates are not always accurate Davanpour) the survey may not provide an accurate assessment. This leaves the true prevalence in the United States and other countries remaining a mystery. Compounding the uncertainty, autopsies are rarely performed on atypical dementia patients (Harrison) because medical professionals fear infection (Altman). The officially reported rate of Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease incidence is less than one case per million people per year (World). An informal survey of neuropathologists, however, registered a theoretical range of 2 - 21% of all dementia as actually Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (Harrison) and hundreds of thousands of Americans suffer from severe dementia every year (Brayne; United). Two other studies average about a 3% Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease rate among dementia patients (Mahendra; Wade). A preliminary 1989 University of Pennsylvania study showed that 5% of patients diagnosed with dementia were actually dying from Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (Boller). It would seem that Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease is seriously underdiagnosed. The most common misdiagnosis of Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease is Alzheimer's disease (Harrison). Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease was even described as Alzheimers in fast forward (Wlalzek). The symptoms and pathology of both diseases overlap. There can be spongy changes in the brain (a classic effect of Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease) in Alzheimer's disease, for example, and senile plaques deposited on the brain (a classic effect of Alzheimer's disease) in Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (Brown). The causes may overlap as well; epidemiological evidence suggests that people eating meat more than four times a week for a prolonged period have a three times higher chance of suffering dementia than long-time vegetarians (Giem), although this result may be confounded by vascular factors (Van Duijn). Paul Brown, medical director for the U.S. Public Health Service (Gruzen), said that the brains of the young people who died from the new variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease in Britain even look like the brains of Alzh eimer's patients (Hager). Stanley Prusiner, the scientist who coined the term prion, speculates that Alzheimer's may in fact turn out to be a prion disease as well (Prusiner). In younger victims the disease could look like multiple sclerosis or a severe viral infection, according to Alzheimer's expert Gareth Roberts (Brain). Twenty percent or more of people clinically diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease are found at autopsy to not have had Alzheimer's at all (McKhann). At Yale, out of 46 patients clinically diagnosed with Alzheimer's, 6 were proven to have actually had Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease at autopsy (Manuelidis). In another post-mortem study 3 out of 12 Alzheimer patients actually died from a spongiform encephalopathy

How to Get the Most Realistic SAT Practice Test Experience

How to Get the Most Realistic SAT Practice Test Experience SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Choosing the best way to practice for the SAT can be difficult; there are a lot of study options out there, but not all of them may give you an accurate indicator of how well you’ll do on test day.Taking SAT practice tests under realistic testing conditions is a great way to practice for the SAT and get an estimate what your score will be on the real test. There are many free SAT practice tests available that you can take in your own home, however; it can be challenging to simulate real test-taking conditions.The closer the conditions of your practice test are to the real SAT, the more useful and accurate your results will be.Read on to learn how you can recreate realistic testing conditions at home in order to get the most accurate results from SAT practice tests. This guide will give you all the information you need to create realistic testing conditions for a practice SAT exam. There are eight recommendations to follow in order to have an ultra realistic practice test: Take a complete test Have the required materials Have a set starting time Simulate a classroom environment Have an â€Å"official test† mindset Keep strict timing on each section Use only official breaks Review your exam results Benefits of Realistic Practice Test Conditions Like other methods of preparing for the SAT, taking practice tests can help youbecome more familiar with the types of questions that are asked on the exam and identify subject areas you should focus your future studying on. Taking a practice test in a realistic setting is even better because it gives you the most accurate sense of how you're scoring and helps you feel comfortable with and prepared for the test day proceedings. Let's go over the benefits of realistic testing in more depth so you know why this extra hassle is worth the effort. More Accurate Scores The closer your practice SAT is to real test-taking conditions, the more accurate your scores will be because your practice tests will take many variables into account, such as if you were able to finish each section before time ran out and how well you were able to concentrate with only limited breaks. Having more accurate scores gives you a better estimate of what your total SAT score would be, as well as how well you would do on each separate test section. This will let you more accurately determine what your strengths and weaknesses are and make your future studying more effective. Better Understanding of How Test Length Affects You SATs are long tests: the current version, including breaks, takes roughly four hours,if you include the optional essay. While answering individual practice questions can help you improve your score, taking full-length practice tests help you learn how well you hold up after several hours of testing. For example, you may discover that your scores drop on the later sections of the test because you find it harder to stay focused. Youmaynot have discovered this information if you’d never taken a full-length practice test under realistic conditions, and it gives you something to prepare for.Taking multiple full-length practice tests will also increase your test-taking stamina, so you're less likely to run out of energy during the real SAT. Less Anxiety About the Test The more familiar you are with something, the less worrisome it becomes.By making your practice exam test conditions close to those of the real SAT, you will become more familiar with the exam and its format, so that when you take the SAT you will know what to expect and will likely be more relaxed and prepared. How to Make Practice Testing as Realistic as Possible #1: Take a Complete Test In order to make your practice test as realistic as possible, you should take a complete practice test.TheCollege Board currently hasfour official practice tests for the SAT available. Taking an official practice test is important because it will keep your practice test experience as realistic as possible and give you the most accurate estimate of what your scores will be on the real SAT. Before you begin the test, print off the entire exam and its instructions so that you are ready to go.For your practice test, you should bubble in the answers on the answer sheet, just like you would for the real SAT. #2: Have the Required Materials The SAT has very specific rules on what you must bring, can bring, and are forbidden to bring on test day. Learn these rules ahead of time and follow them during your practice test. The SAT requires you to bring: Photo ID (such as a driver’s license or school ID) Your SAT admission ticket with your photo printed on it Two No. 2 pencils, with erasers Calculator: try and use the same calculator you plan to use for the real SAT, and make sure it meets the SAT’s calculator requirements Have these four things with you for the practice exam (using a blank sheet of paper that represents your admission ticket), so that you get used to remembering to bring them. Other things you should bring: A watch: this will help you keep track of your time because you can never be sure if there will be a clock visible during the test. Make sure your watch doesn’t beep though, because that is grounds to get you dismissed from the exam. Snacks and water: the SAT is a long test and having something to eat and drink during the break can help keep your energy up. Do not have cameras, notebooks, or your own scratch paper with you during your practice test, and if you have your phone near you, make sure it is turned off for the entire exam. #3: Have a Set Starting Time You and the parent who is proctoring you should establish beforehand when you will take your SAT.In order to be as similar to a real SAT as possible, this practice test should begin when real SATs do: at 8:00am on a Saturday. This is early, but taking your practice test at that time will help you be better prepared for the real SAT and know how well you function that early in the morning.Regard this start time as unchangeable. You cannot push it back or change it, even if you accidentally ended up staying out with your friends late the night before, decide you want work out, or want to watch some Netflix. You won’t be able to delay the start time of the real SAT, so don’t do it for the practice SAT either. Get up early enough so that by 8:00 AM, you're sitting at the desk or table where you’ll take the exam, with all your materials ready. #4: Simulate a Classroom Environment The room where you’ll be taking your practice SAT should be as close to a classroom as possible, because that's likely where you’ll take the actual exam.Don’t take your test while sitting on the couch or in a room that other family members will frequently be walking through. Pick a quiet room where you and your proctor you will be undisturbed, and sit at a desk or table.Only have necessary materials around you. Your phone should also be turned off and put awaylike it will be for the real exam. This is very important to rememberbecause having your phone on for the real SAT is enough to get you kicked out of the exam and your scores tossed out. #5: Have an "Official Test" Mindset Both you and your proctor should have the mindset throughout the entire test that this a realistic practice exam and should be as close to a real SAT as possible.The person acting as your proctor (likely your parent), should act as much like an official proctor as possible.This means things like reading instructions aloud,not making jokes, and not watching TVor listening loudly to music while you’re taking the test. You should take this test as seriously as you would a real SAT. Don’t ask for extra time, don’t try to check your phone during the test, don’t skip questions just because you got tired and know this isn’t a â€Å"real† test.If you wouldn’t do it during the real SAT, don’t do it during this practice exam. Taking a practice test under realistic conditions can provide you with a very accurate example of how you’d score on the real SAT, which can significantly help your future studying and raise your score for the actual exam, so take the practice test seriously. #6: Keep Strict Timing on Each Test Section This is one of the most important things you can do to help make your results from your practice SAT as accurate as possible.Not only is the SAT long, but it also includes a lot of questions in each section. Taking the test under real timing conditions will help you get used to the time pressures of the SAT and improve your time management skills. Your practice test will state how long you have for each section, and your proctor should follow the SAT’s time restrictions exactly.Have your proctor keep track of the time with a watch or timer, announcing when you have five minutes left in each section. You can also keep track of the time with your watch, if you’re wearing one. As soon as your proctor calls time, set your pencil down. Do not ask for or try to take any additional time. Even adding two extra minutes to a section can allow you to answer several more questions, which will give you an inflated and less accurate score.If you finish a section before time is called, do not move onto the next section to try and finish the test sooner. Just like you would for the real SAT, review your answers for that section until time is called. #7: Use Only Official Breaks The SAT has only three breaks, each between five and ten minutes long. These breaks usually come after the 2nd, 4th, and 6th sections of the exam. For the redesigned SAT, there will likely be two breaks, a ten-minute break after the writing section and a five-minute break before the essay.During your practice test, you should only take breaks at these times, and only for the specific amount of time allowed. Like strictly timing your sections, this will get you more used to the challenges of taking a long test with few breaks, which will let you see if this affects your score and help you improve your test-taking endurance. During these breaks, don’t do things you wouldn’t be able to do during the real SAT breaks, like check your phone, go on the computer, or go outside.You can (and should) use these breaks to get up and stretch, sharpen your pencils, use the bathroom, and eat the snacks or drinks you brought with you. Optional: Take Your Practice Test With Others This isn’t a requirement, but if you have other friends studying for the SAT, it can be helpful to take your practice tests at the same time.Doing sowill make your practice test closer to the real thing because you’ll take the real SAT with other people in the room, and, when you do, you’ll be more used to noises other test takers can make, like rustling papers or tapping their feet. #8: Grade and Review Your Exam Once you've finished with the entire test, take a short break before reviewing your answers. This can be anywhere from a few hours to a few days. Either you or your proctor should grade your multiple choice answers.If you included the writing section, try to have two other people grade it, following the SAT’s essay rubric.Also check out our guide on converting your raw score into a scaled score. Now you have your score for your practice SAT, but you’re not finished yet.You should review each question you got wrong or guessed on, working to understand what mistakes you made and how you can avoid making them again in the future.If you skip this step, your SAT scores likely won’t improve much, no matter how many practice tests you take because you’ll keep repeating the same mistakes. Check out our guide on the best way to review missed questions on the SAT. We also have a ton of resources to help you study for the SAT and raise your score. Check some of them out below. SAT Study Resources Want to learn ways to boost your SAT score? Learn the 15SAT tricks you should be using. Don't have a lot of time to study for the SAT? Learn the best last-minute study tips you should use. Wondering when you should begin your SAT prep? We have a step-by-step guide that tells you how long you should study for the SAT. Wondering what other study options there are beyond official practice tests? Learn about smart alternatives to officialtests. Aiming for a 1600 on the SAT? Check out our guide on how to get a perfect SAT score. Disappointed with your scores? Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points?We've written a guide about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now: Have friends who also need help with test prep? Share this article! Tweet Christine Sarikas About the Author Christine graduated from Michigan State University with degrees in Environmental Biology and Geography and received her Master's from Duke University. In high school she scored in the 99th percentile on the SAT and was named a National Merit Finalist. She has taught English and biology in several countries. Get Free Guides to Boost Your SAT/ACT Get FREE EXCLUSIVE insider tips on how to ACE THE SAT/ACT. 100% Privacy. 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Prohibition, War on Drugs Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Prohibition, War on Drugs - Essay Example Within such an understanding, the following analysis will seek to compare and contrast the objective and subjective effects of the way in which existing drug policy, inclusive of alcohol allowance and taxation, creates a unique and somewhat unreasonable dynamic. Although it is not the place of this brief analysis to advocate a safe entirely new approach to drug policy within the United States, it is the hope of this research that a greater level of inference with regards to the appropriate response framework that government represents will be able to be inferred. Firstly, it must be understood that current drug policy within the United States is very much akin to Prohibition that existed following WWI. Within such an understanding, the similarities between the way in which the government, prompted by temperance movement activists throughout the nation, outlawed the production and/or consumption of alcoholic beverages within the United States is eerily similar to the way in which the ATF, FBI, and a litany of other federal and local law enforcement entities have worked in tandem since the declared War on Drugs to rid the United States of illegal substances. Anyone with even a cursory introduction to economics can realize that such a practice is ultimately futile. This is of course due to the fact that the more that a government outlaws the production, sale, distribution, and consumption of a specific good or service, then as long as that good or service is demanded, then the price thereof will increase dramatically. This jump in price is the direct result of government pressures and creates a litany of different interests that seek to capitalize on such a lucrative market. As can clearly be noted, Prohibition was soon repealed due to the fact that public outcry against it had reached a tipping point and the inability of the authorities to continue to strain the legal system with such low-level violations had reached a maximum. Yet, from an alternate standpoint, there are those individuals that reference the fact that Prohibition was ultimately effective due to the fact that it drastically reduced the amount of alcohol produced and consumed within the United States during this particular period of time; driving many would-be alcoholics into a level of forced sobriety and benefitting society by extension. In seeking to address which of these view is the more effective, it is the view of this particular author that the government was fighting a losing battle from the very beginning. Due to the fact that controlling aspects of personality and character and what an individual decides to put in their body is a personal choice, the rate of success that the government might have expected at the outset of Prohibition was limited to say the least. From a civil liberties perspective, the current government is engaging in a situation very similar to Prohibition with regards to the ongoing and exorbitantly expensive War on Drugs. Generation after gener ation of young disenfranchised citizens are being put behind bars for minor drug offenses; a process that ultimately hardens these young men and women and creates a much greater lasting problem for

In Economic Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

In Economic - Essay Example After losing job, consequently, people lose their sources of income. Therefore, to characterize the degree of the working population, the term "unemployment rate" - the ratio of the number of people to the value of national workforces – is used. One can distinguish three types of unemployment. Frictional unemployment is generated by a constant rate of population movement between areas, from profession to profession. Such unemployment exists even at full employment due to job changing and looking for the best work (it is often regarded as voluntary unemployment). Structural unemployment results from technological changes in the economy, long-term shifts in consumer demand or relocation of jobs from one district to another. In this case, even skilled workers remain jobless. Cyclic unemployment is caused by a generally low demand for labor in all sectors and regions; such type of unemployment is a result of slowdown in economic activity in the country. In general, such involuntar y unemployment negatively affects the morale of man; it is also harmful for the psyche. Unfortunately, this type of unemployment prevails in the United Kingdom nowadays. The country is still getting through the effects of the recent world’s crisis, which occurred in 2008 and resulted in large-scale global economy recession. Suffice it to recollect the strikes occurred against the backdrop of a sharp rise in unemployment in the UK (the strike of workers of a refinery plant in Lindsey, Lincolnshire, 2009; the strike of employees of a steel mill in Corus, Redcar). In 2009, there were nearly 2 million unemployed people in the UK (Trading Economics.com, 2009). It is believed that there is so-called natural (normal) unemployment rate, which determines the maximum possible level of employment. In the United Kingdom it is 4 % (Trading Economics.com, 2011). The downsides of unemployment in the UK are the lag of GNP, compared to the amount that the society would have at its potential, loss of income for lots of people, loss of national output, uneven distribution of the costs of unemployment among different social groups, a great many of workers lose their skills. â€Å"High unemployment has an impact on government expenditure, taxation and the level of government borrowing. An increase in unemployment results in higher benefit payments and lower tax revenues. If any person is unemployed, he or she receives benefits, consequently - pay no income tax. It is obvious that when people spend less, they contribute less to the government in indirect taxes. This rise in government spending along with the fall in tax revenues may result in a higher government borrowing requirement (so-called public sector net cash requirement)† (Davidson, 2009). Office for National Statistics UK unveiled data on unemployment in the country (February - April 2011). The unemployment rate for the three months is to remain at the level of January - March and will make 7, 8%, according to analysts (UK National Statistics, 2011). Past two years, countries around the world pursue a policy of fiscal stimulus package, unprecedented in scope - at least for a time of peace. In Greece, the USA, India, Britain and some other states budget deficit exceeded 10% of GDP (UK National Statistics, 2010). Naturally, â€Å"this is a classic Keynesian response to economic downturn - when demand in the private sector is reduced, the state must fill the gap to prevent economic collapse†

The nature of state provisions for the poor in the period c. 1830 - 1839 Essay Example for Free

The nature of state provisions for the poor in the period c. 1830 1839 Essay To what extent were the changes in the size of the electorate the key factor in determining the nature of state provisions for the poor in the period c. 1830 1839? In the years between 1830 and 1939, Britain saw great increase in the rate of legislation and the amount of government intervention in society, particularly concerning the aid of the poor. At the same time, the size of electorate was ever expanding but does this mean to two factors are necessarily linked? 1832 saw the Great Reform act, an act which extended the vote to all middle class men, putting an increased amount of power in their hands, in reflection of the greater political influence they now boasted. The middle class were distinguished by their values; the promotion of self help, thrift, sobriety and scientific approach all considered fairly opposite to qualities which the working class were believed to possess (self help, thrift and sobriety, in particular). Two years following the reform act, in 1834, the poor law amendment act was introduced. The old poor law had been under much attack, particularly from prominent writers and social commentators of the time, such as Thomas Malthus and Jeremy Bentham. Malthus blamed the poor law for the evident population growth in Britain, in that people were entitled to a greater amount of poor relief when they had a greater number of children. His solution to the problem was to see the abolition of the poor law, which would allow land owners (those who paid the poor rates) to pay higher wages to their workers, to prevent them having to rely on means of relief in the first place. With any luck, this would also discourage people from having as many children for the sake of money, hence controlling the rate of population growth and consumption of resources. Bentham wanted to see the poor cared for by the National Charity Organisation. He also proposed industry houses, which would be the only means by which people could access poor relief. The industry houses would be purposely tough, with strict discipline and long hours, in the hope of discouraging people from entering in the first place. Given that there would be no outdoor relief; this was intended to encourage people to apply the middle class principle of self help, and to find a means out income beyond poor relief. The major problems with the old poor law focused around its increasing cost, corruption within the system, and the demoralising affect of the Speenhamland system (where by the low wages of agricultural works would be subsidised in accordance to their number of children and the price of bread). The problems were approached by the Royal Commission on the Poor Laws, which began a few months prior to the 1832 great reform act. It recommended a new means of administration of the poor law (including the grouping of parishes into unions, controlled by a Board of Guardians, overseen by a central Poor Law Commission), the abolition of outdoor relief, and the introduction of the workhouse test. These ideas very much reflected those of Jeremy Bentham, and generally promoted middle class values; in particular, self help. However, given that the Royal Commission began some months before the middle class were enfranchised, it seems somewhat less likely that the points of the Poor Law Amendment act were a consequence of their influence. Furthermore, the leading commissioners were Nassau Senoir, a Malthusian, and Edwin Chadwick, a Benthamite given their position in the proceedings, it seems far more likely that their ideas are those which had more impact on the investigation (i.e., the results of the investigation could have easily been picked at to meet with their beliefs). Throughout the mid-nineteenth century, it could be observed that there was a growing movement of self-help amongst the working class, mainly revolving around Friendly Societies, Co-Operatives and Trade Unions. The Co-op began in 1844, and aimed to keep food prices down without compromising their purity. At the end of the year, profits were shared out amongst members via a dividend, so customers gained something in return for their expenditures. The Co-op was not a great use for the particularly poor however, as full payments were required at the time of purchase these people generally relied on tabs due to low and irregular income. Members of friendly societies and trade unions, generally speaking, would pay in a protected sum of money which they could then receive as benefits when ill, to protect then from having to turn to the poor law. Again, this required a regular income, due to the need to pay in money consistently. It seems very likely that these means of self help were a direct influence from the middle class; perhaps members of the working class had seen the influence and status which the middle class had received as a potential consequence of their values? Also, the new poor law and the fact that people would want to avoid the workhouse if at all possible seems a viable reason for the new interest in self help. It seems perfectly possible however that these people could have picked up on such middle class values without the latter being enfranchised anyway. In reward for their efforts, skilled artisans received the vote in 1867, with the second reform act. This still left the majority of the working class without the vote, and was likely due to the fact that skilled artisans were the only members of the working class with a steady enough income to pay into friendly societies, trade unions or co-operatives. The 1867 wasnt entirely supported however; some leading figures considered it power in the hands of the masses, and that it would throw the scum of the community to the surface. However, following the reform act, many changes were made and legislations passed, including the compulsory 1875 public health act and the 1870 education act, amongst others, all bringing about changes which would improve the conditions of working class life, along with the peoples chances for the future. Links between poverty and external factors were being established, government intervention was increasing, and there was a broader electorate to now appeal to. However, this growing electorate was not the only motive behind these changes. Scientific breakthroughs were occurring, such as the establishment of the germ theory, which gave much of the basis for the 1875 compulsory public health act. The national efficiency debate was sparking concerns to the general condition of the nation, a problem particularly highlighted by the number of volunteers who had to be rejected from aiding in the Boer war due to their poor health. Foreign competition saw rise to concerns over Britains economic health and weak workforce with a slump in trade, and the opinion of public figures such as Charles Dickens and Henry Mayhew on the difficulty of working class life gave a very human aspect to the problem. It seems that really, the now larger electorate was not the main force behind these legislations; yet, they were the easiest way to appeal to working men. It may just be considered as a fortunate consequence that these somewhat essential legislations appealed to the working class and their needs. The government also realised that taking these measures would help to break the apparent poverty cycle when people fell ill due to the poor conditions they lived in, they could not work, dipping them and their families into poverty. Consequently, the workforce became weakened, which by no means aided Britains dwindling economy. It was essentially in the governments interest to pass these legislations, for the sake of the country, not just appeal to the working class voters. In 1884, the vote was extended further into the working class, resulting in 1/6th of all men having the vote. The 1880s and 90s were a period of great economic problems and fairly high unemployment, and issue which was extending to skilled and respectable workers, not just the casual workers in society. This was a consequence of Britains pattern of trade slumping, and the inadequacy of the poor law in dealing with such a problem led to an overflow in the workhouses, and many people with no means of relief. Still prevalent in society was the national efficiency debate, with Britains consistently weak workforce and comparatively weak economy in comparison to nations such as Germany and the USA. Around this time, there was also an ever-growing awareness as to the causes of poverty, highlighted by the works of Seebohm Rowntree and Charles Booth, whos work into the extent of poverty in cities (and that for many people, their situation was caused through no fault of their own) very much hi ghlighted the extent of poverty, even beyond what people already expected. 1906 saw the Liberals come into power for the first time in 20 years, and consequently, the passing of many new legislations and reforms. These included another education act, labour exchanges act, trade boards act and the old age pensions. Given the minimal increase in the size of the electorate in 1884, it seems unlikely that this was the motive at all behind the Liberal reforms, particularly with much larger threats pressuring for change; e.g., the looming threat of socialism in Britain, the mass unemployment Britain was facing, the national efficiency debate and the desire to stay in office. There was also the Royal Commission on the Poor Laws of 1909 to consider, which between its minority and majority reports produced the recommendations which most likely lead to the reforms for change in provisions towards children and the elderly. The Liberal reforms brought about many improvements for these groups, with the old age pension and provision of meals and medical inspections act in education, and the National Insurance act of 1911 provided a means of sick pay and medical cover for workers much like a national frien dly society, of which all workers would have to pay into. For as much controversy as this caused, it was a big step by the Liberals in facing poverty. Beyond this time, the size of the electorate was not altered by any means of reform, yet quite dramatic changes towards provision for the poor took place; this included alternations to the age at which the OAP could be received, the unemployment act (which extended the national insurance scheme), the effective destruction of the poor law with the Local Government Act, the establishment of Public Assistance Committees to aid the able bodied poor, and the means test. Given that there was no change in the size of the electorate, there is no means by which that could be responsible for these changing provisions for the poor, they were mostly consequence of problems throughout society at the time, such as the inadequacy of the poor law as a welfare system in the 20th century, the mass unemployment throughout Britain and the lack of benefits available for the most vulnerable groups in society (e.g., widows, the elderly and orphans). It seems fair to say that, although their choices would have influenced who came into office and consequently, the policies that would be passed, the changing size of the electorate had a minimal part to play in changing provisions for the poor. The continuously changing external factors which pressured for change, advances in beliefs and knowledge and the work of prominent figures appear to have had the most profound effect on legislation and reform, and it seems that the changing legislation simply appealed to the needs of the changing electorate by fortunate consequences. It would seem that it was more the governments interest to tackle major issues such as unemployment and threats of socialism, as opposed to appealing to the requirements of the electorate concerning poor relief, yet the tackling of these issues simply led to improvements in this area also. The varying needs and requirements of the electorate themselves had little direct influence over government policies at any p oint.

Comparing the Tragic Flaws in Oedipus Rex (the King) and Death of a Salesman :: comparison compare contrast essays

The Tragic Flaws in Oedipus Rex and Death of a Salesman "Oedipus Rex" and "Death of a Salesman" are two examples of tragedies. In these two plays the characters are good, but not perfect, and their misfortunes are the result of their tragic flaws. Blindness and vision are used as motifs in the play "Oedipus Rex," which are also the tragic flaws of the hero. Vision refers to both literal and metaphorical blindness. The frequent references to sight, light, eyes, and perception are used throughout the play. When Oedipus refuses to believe Tiersias, Tiersias responds by saying "have you eyes" and "do you not see your own damnation?" Tiersias also says "those now clear-seeing eyes shall then be darkened." The reference to sight has a double meaning. Oedipus is famed for his clear-sightedness and quick comprehension. He was able to "see" the answer to the Sphinx's riddle, yet ironically, he lacks the ability to see the truth about his own identity. Oedipus has become the very disease he wishes to remove from Thebes. In "Death of a Salesman," Willy Loman is the opposite of the classic tragic hero. Unlike Oedipus, Willy is a ordinary man. His name implies he is a "lowman" whose dreams and expectations have been shattered by the false values of thesociety he has put his faith into. This simple characteristic makes him a tragic hero like "Oedipus Rex." Willy is blind to the reality around him. This blindness, is his tragic flaw like that of Oedipus Rex. Willy is a dreamer who is unable to face the realities of a modern day society. Willy builds his whole life around the philosophy that if a person is well likedand good looking, he will be successful. Willy says to Biff, "I thank Almighty God that you are both are built like Adonises." Later, Willy makes the comment, "Be liked and you will never want." His need to be well liked is so strong that his choices throughout his life, and his blindness to the reality around him, prevents Willy from realizing his dreams and values were flawed.

“Complete, trusting surrender to God” Essay

Although the Qur’an, its sacred text, was only revealed to their Prophet Muhammad more than five centuries after the death of Christ, Muslims trace the beginnings of Islam to the time of Abraham. According to them, the series of revelations of the Qur’an which started in 610 CE in a cave in Mount Hira, Mecca, Saudi Arabia, marked only the renaissance of a religion which sank into insignificance when the people of Mecca rejected the monotheism preached by Abraham. The Islamic claim further states that being the original religion, it provided the foundations for the development of Judaism and Christianity. (Fisher. 2005. Islam) Since the time of the first revelation in Mount Hira, Islam has rapidly grown to become the second-largest religious denomination in the world, next only to Christianity, claiming a following of almost twenty percent of the world’s population. However, its growth has been temporarily slowed down, particularly in the United States, by the effects of the American war against terrorism which is evidently directed against Muslims. This U. S. -orchestrated anti-terrorism war, coupled with the dearth of knowledge about Islam, has severely alienated the Muslims from the rest of the non-Muslim world. (Fisher. 2005. Islam) Yusuf (n. d. ) said that majority of the Muslims are convinced that while the U. S. government has been blaming terrorism on Islam for years, it was the 9/11 incident which dealt the most telling blow on the credibility and reputation of their religion. This was because the international media was able to depict that many Muslims around the world rejoiced after that incident. The truth is, however, that majority of the Muslim world was saddened by that incident and the repercussions it caused. They would like to tell the world that terrorism is not an official policy of Islam and that, in fact, Muslims also consider terrorists as enemies of their religion. He laments the fact that When a crazy Christian does something terrible, everyone in the West knows it is the actions of a mad man because they have some knowledge of the core beliefs and ethics of Christianity. When a mad Muslim does something evil or foolish they assume it is from the religion of Islam, not because they hate us but because they have never been told by a Muslim what the teachings of Islam are all about. Muslims are also complaining about the way non-Muslims always confuse them with Arabs. According to them, while most Arabs are Muslims, less than 20% of Muslims have Arab blood. (Almuslimin. org) Allah is the only authority of this religion. Muhammad was only the messenger and prophet with whom he entrusted the sacred texts called the Qur’an in a series of revelations and who, three years after the first revelation occurred, preached them to the people according to his instruction and his will. However, Muhammad was the role model for all Muslims. His life story and his sayings were saved in the Hadith for every Muslim to learn from and emulate. The central teachings of Islam are oneness of God and of humanity; prophethood and the compass of Islam; human relationship to the divine; belief in the unseen life; and belief in the Last Judgment. (Fisher, 2005. Islam) Islam teaches that there is only one God. This is why the first words spoken to a Muslim infant are the words of the Shahadah – â€Å"la ilaha ill-Allah Muhammad-un Rasulu-llah† (â€Å"There is no god but God, and Muhammad is the Messenger of God†). God may be called by many names, but all the attributes assigned to those different names make up the totality of the One God. They contend that there must be absolute unity among all men of all races because they are all brothers under the one God, and no one race should consider itself the chosen race. Islam teaches that the individual should be one with God, therefore his or her thoughts and deeds should always be inspired by God. This oneness of God and of humanity was very emphatically expressed by Abu Hashim Madami, an Indian Sufi sage, when he said that â€Å"There is only one thing to be gained in life, and that is to remember God with each breath; and there is only one loss in life, and that is the breath drawn without the remembrance of God. † (Fisher. 2005. Islam, p. 373) All the prophets from Abraham to Jesus Christ are honored, but they maintain that Muhammad was the last prophet sent by God with the final message. This means, therefore, that the Qur’an sums up all the messages from God so Islam should include all religions, including Christianity and Judaism which also trace their roots to Abraham. They believe that God created the universe for a purpose and set down laws to govern everything. For this reason, man could live in peace only if he recognizes these laws and abide by them. They accept the existence of the angels, especially Gabriel, whom they credit with bringing the messages of God. They believe that Satan exists just as they believe that there are saints. For them, the Last Judgment means that dead Muslims are allowed some rest before being raised from the grave for the final reckoning, after which the sinners and the unbelievers are sent to hell. (Fisher. 2005. Islam) Their basic practices consist of what they call the Five Pillars of Islam, namely: Beliefs and witness; Daily prayers; Zakat; Fasting; and Hajj. Every Muslim, without resorting to the use of force or intimidation, are obliged to spread the words of Islam so that other people may know about it, understand it, and use the knowledge to guide them in choosing their faith. Prayers should be recited five times a day while facing the direction of Mecca. It is believed that requiring every Muslim to face Mecca symbolizes unity among the devotees of Islam around the world, while the daily prayer emphasizes Islam’s teaching that every Muslim should remember God everyday of his or her life. Zakat, the third pillar, means â€Å"spiritual tithing and almsgiving. † Muslims are enjoined to help the poor by donating part of their annual income to charities of their choice. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, for example, channels its contribution through the Islamic Relief Organization which aids people around the world regardless of their religion. Every year, the first Qur’anic revelation is celebrated with a month-long fasting called Ramadan. All able Muslims are required to abstain from â€Å"food, drink, sexual intercourse, and smoking† from dawn to dusk. Although fasting during Ramadan is an obligation, fasting, per se, is advised from time to time because it provides an individual with â€Å"a Transparent Soul to Transcend, a Clear Mind to think and a Light Body to move and act. † The last Pillar – the hajj – is a pilgrimage which is expected of every Muslim who is financially and physically capable even only once during their lifetime. Their pilgrimage destination is Mecca, where their holiest sanctuary, the Ka’bah, is located. (Fisher. 2005. Islam) Muhammad, whose name was taken from the Arabic word hamada which means â€Å"to praise, to glorify,† was born in Mecca, Western Arabia, in 570 CE to Abd bin Al-Muttalib and Amina bint Wahb. (Kikim Media. n. d. ) His parents were believed to be descendants of Abraham and Hagar, the Egyptian slave who mothered Abraham’s son, Ishmael. The story goes that Abraham fled to Mecca with Hagar and Ishmael after his wife, Sarah, also gave birth to a baby boy (Isaac) and became extremely jealous of Hagar and Ishmael. Abraham later built the Ka’bah, Islam’s holiest sanctuary and now the destination of pilgrims during the hajj, in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, with the assistance of his son, Ishmael. (Fisher. 2005. Islam) The birth, life, and death of Muhammad impacted the world of Islam differently. His birth in 570 CE also signaled the rebirth of Islam which sank into obscurity for centuries when the people of Mecca rejected Abraham’s monotheistic Qur’an religion. His life as a preacher which began three years after the start of the revelations resulted to a rejuvenated Muslim world. The flight of the Muslims to Medina (or the hijrah) which he orchestrated in order for them to escape persecution from the hands of the Qurayshites of Mecca was what strengthened Islam as soon as they had settled in Medina. This later enabled them to raise a strong army to capture Mecca from the Qurayshites. However, while he re-established Mecca as the holy sanctuary of Islam, Muhammad himself chose to live in Medina. While his birth signaled the rebirth of Islam and his life rejuvenated their religion, his death in 632 CE in Medina caused a split in the Muslim world between what we now call the Shi’a and Sunni Muslims because of the issue of succession. Most of the surviving Muslims believed that although Muhammad was able to tell his followers what to do after his death, he failed to appoint his successor. Thus, the majority decided to settle the issue of succession by election. However, there was a minority group who insisted that it was not true that Muhammad did not name his successor because of a report that some weeks before he died, Muhammad held his son-in-law ‘Ali’s hand and uttered the following words: â€Å"Whoever I protect, ‘Ali is also his protector. O God, be a friend to whoever is his friend and an enemy to whoever is his enemy. † (Fisher. 2005. Islam, p. 380) The issue of succession was ultimately decided according to the wishes of the majority – by election – but the two factions have never reconciled up to this day. The Shi’a Muslims now form the majority faction in Iran, while the Sunnis are the majority in â€Å"Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Turkey, northern African countries, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Central Asian countries of the former Soviet Union, and Indonesia. † (page 378) Their place of worship is called a mosque. When I interviewed Bonsan Go, a student from Indonesia, he described a basic mosque as A square building with a small box-type space in front which serves as an extension. It has a dome on the center-top of the main building and a turret or a small ornamented tower or a tower-shaped projection on another building. Inside, you will fine a division (usually a length of fabric) which separates men from the women. There are no tables, chairs, or figurines inside the mosque. I thought, maybe, Mr. Go described a traditional mosque which used to be an Islamic architecture with a dome and one or two minarets. However, the more recent ones especially those constructed in the United States have chosen to go without the dome and the minarets. The more modern mosques have also done away with the curtain-like division which separates the men from the women. I have located one such mosque in Urbana, Illinois. A photo of this mosque is shown below: This is the Central Illinois Mosque and Islamic Center at 106 S. Lincoln, Urbana, Illinois. It is unmistakably an Islamic architecture with the arches found in front, but without the dome and minarets of olden mosques. Their website (http://www. prairienet. org/cimic/) announces that the mosque holds congregational prayers five times during the day, the first session being at 5:45 in the morning and the last at 7:30 in the evening. The center also offers Arabic classes and is open to visitors any day. CIMIC Newsletter is published bimonthly. In my interview with Bonsan Go, I was able to gain some insights on how a lay Muslim understands and practices Islam. About the hajj, Mr. Go describes it as the â€Å"symbol of unity between the Muslim Ummah and the Oneness of Mankind. † According to him, this has to be done at least once in a lifetime and is very important because it is one of the five pillars of Islam. He said that the hajj is obligatory for all Muslims who can afford it financially and physically. It is also important that the money spent for the hajj comes from hard work and not from corruption. He also talked about the Sunnis and Shi’ites. He described the Sunnis as following the teachings of Muhammad, imitating his every actions and words while the Shi’ites believe that Hadhrat Ali was the real successor to Muhammad because he belonged to the family of Muhammad. He further said that the Shi’ites call their leader an imam while the Sunnis call their leader a caliph, just like they do in Indonesia where the great majority of the Muslims are Sunnis. On the question of marriage, he said that a Muslim is not obliged to have several wives. However, once a man decides to do so, he can only marry as much as four times and he is required to treat all of them equally and see to it that all his wives maintain harmonious relationships all around. The Muslims, according Mr. Go, have never worshipped Muhammad. It is Allah that they give praise to. He considers it very disturbing that most people tend to equate the position of Muhammad with the one who created him. He said that to worship Muhammad instead of Allah is considered a great sin in Islam. On jihad, this was what he said: â€Å"Jihad is not a declaration of war against the enemies of Islam but a striving and a struggle in the path of God. Commitment to God involves commitment to sacrifice one’s time, energy and wealth to promote the right cause. It may be necessary at times to give one’s life in order to preserve TRUTH. † Before we parted ways, he told me that he is deeply saddened by the war on terror being waged by the United States and is targeted at Muslims. He said that the U. S. government has categorized all Muslims as terrorists and as such, must not be trusted. He said that the claim that Islam, as a religion, supports the activities of terrorists is definitely not true because even a Muslim like him hates terrorists. In the study of the beliefs and teachings of Islam and Christianity, Fisher (2005) has shown us the similarities between the two religions. They are both monotheistic, they have their own prophets (Jesus and Muhammad), and both religions trace their roots to Abraham. Islam and Christianity teach their followers to treat their fellowmen with fairness and both religions profess anti-violence sentiments. The Muslims are making this especially clear at every opportunity, enough reason for them to feel very badly towards the U. S. -led anti-terror war. The central beliefs of Islam are also very identical to the central beliefs of Christianity: they both believe in the brotherhood of men, in the angels, saints, even in Satan, and in the Last Judgment. If a split occurred between the Shi’a and Sunni Muslims after the death of Muhammad, a great schism likewise rocked the Christian world when the Roman Catholics and the Eastern Orthodox Church parted ways in 1054. Sadly, however, Fisher has also shown us that both Islam and Christianity have chosen the options of wars of aggression and occupations during the early days for the purpose of spreading their doctrines and widen their spheres of influence. (Fisher. 2005. Christianity; Islam) However, if Fisher (2005) has shown that Islam and Christianity have many similarities, they also differ in some aspects. The first difference is rather basic. While Islam revolves around Allah as its God and only authority, Christianity, as a faith, is based â€Å"on the life, teachings, death, and resurrection of Jesus. † Muslims disagree with Christians in this regard. They do not believe that Jesus is a son of God. To them, Jesus, like Muhammad, was only a prophet and messenger of God. Another glaring difference between the two religions occurred in connection with the death of Jesus and Muhammad. While Muhammad died peacefully in his bed because of some illness, his death divided the Muslim world into the Shi’a and the Sunni Muslims. Jesus, on the other hand, died a violent death (he was tortured and crucified), but his death strengthened and unified his people. (Fisher. 2005. Christianity; Islam). References Almuslimin. org. (n. d. ). Who Is Muhammad? (Retrieved March 9, 2007 from:http://drupalmalaysia. org/Islam/Muhammad) CIMIC. (n. d. ). Central Illinois Mosque and Islamic Center. (Retrieved March 5, 2007 from: http://www. prairienet. org/cimic/) Fisher, M. P. (2005). Christianity. Living Religions, Sixth Edition (pp. 284-361). Prentice-Hall. Fisher, M. P. (2005). Islam. Living Religions, Sixth Edition (pp, 362-416). Prentice-Hall. Kikim Media. (n. d. ). The Life of Muhammad. (Retrieved March 5, 2007 from: http://www. pbs. org/muhammad/timeline. html. shtml) Yusuf, S. H. (n. d. ). A Time for Introspection. (Retrieved March 9, 2007 from: http://www. masud. co. uk/ISLAM/misc/shhamza_sep11. htm) .

Gender Inequality: Why the comparison? Essay

We have entered a century that can be defined by advanced technology, people expressing themselves in ways that one cannot imagine and doctors acting as God. A hundred years ago, it would take days before a telegram will reach its destination. But now all you need is a computer and an internet connection and you would not think that the person that you are talking to is 10,000 miles across the globe. Before, women cannot get a job and must stay at home to take care of the household; they were not even allowed to go to school. But now, the females are competing in the same league as the males. More women are finishing high school and pursuing college, getting into their respective professions. A couple years back the newborn screening was not yet developed and hence, a lot of newborns were not able to be screened for such diseases. But now that this method is working in full force, you can actually detect your infant’s diseases earlier and have higher chances of prevention. There are also a number of machines that can actually make doctor’s works easier, decreasing the mortality rate, prolonging life. If a group wants to express their hatred and anger, they can have a strike, and the media will expose them and they will be heard. That is why the media is one of the powerful agents in today’s modern world. Not only are the technologies more advanced, so are the minds of the people. Today you can do the unthinkable and even immoral way back in the medieval times. You can choose not to believe in God without getting sacrificed or stoned to death, you can change your gender, even the anatomical constructions can be changed, provided you have the money and the courage to go through with. But unlike those times, people now have changed. Our minds are broader, our acceptance more tolerating. Which puts me in a position to think that maybe what Judith Butler, the author of Gender Trouble, wants to voice out is not really a big deal today as when compared to the time she published this book. In my opinion Butler is trying to figure out how we got to define what a man and a woman is, what their differences are, and what our culture and norms want them to be. How an individual determines the nature of their femininity or masculinity is a question that she wants to answer. And she concluded by saying that we do not really know what our gender is. What we have come to know is what we were told to become. Our gender is defined by how we portray the roles of a female or a male. And how we further develop these performances, how stabilized we are with it that we do not change it anymore. But I do not think that you will get that answer anymore if you ask any person in the streets. Yes, we may have our own theories, our own definitions of what a man and a woman is, but all these are deeply rooted from the anatomical structures that we possess plus the environment that we grew up in. I do have high respects for Butler’s work, especially in her in-depth discussion of the theories of Simone de Beauvoir, Luce Irigaray and Sigmund Freud. And the mere fact that she wrote a book about it tells of her wisdom on the subject matter. But to be honest, only one thing comes to my mind about people who try to determine these kinds of things: gender gap. Admit it or not, a person’s gender highly differentiates and molds one person from the other gender. Gender gap, according to Gertrude Abramson as mentioned in her article, â€Å"Has the gender gap closed? † is a disproportionate difference or disparity between the sexes. Maybe that is why Judith Butler wants to know if a person is made to be male or female, to also solve gender equality problems. Because I think if you get to agree that both gender came out equally and was made equally, then the differences will be treated as minor ones and will be eventually be ignored. How bad has the gender gap been to everybody? A target of scrutiny is the gender gap in economics wherein the males are the dominating ones. â€Å"Statistics show that in 1890 the percentage of married white women who reported an occupation outside the home was extremely low—just 2. 5 percent for the entire United States. The figure increased to 12. 5 percent by 1940, 20. 7 percent by 1950, and then by about 10 percentage points for every decade since then. By 1990 the labor participation rate for all married women had climbed to almost 60 percent, versus 78 percent for married men. † (Gender Gap) But these statistics definitely turn the other way around when it comes to school. In college, according to the U. S. education department, women reign, earning an average 57% of all BAs and 58% of all master’s degrees in the U. S. alone. There are 133 girls getting BAs for every 100 guys — a number that’s projected to grow to 142 women per 100 men by 2010. (The New Gender Gap) So the question is, why all this comparison? I do not think there should be any, as this is the reason why there is inequality in the first place. I think that there should be no more distinction between the capabilities of men and women, only in their biological differences. Because the reality is that whatever the success of the female is, they are also the success of the males. Everything, every law, every bill has been passed so that all sexes, whether it be gay or lesbian, male or female have been heard in court to give equal opportunities to everybody. If you do not have the right to get a same sex marriage in this state, you go to the state that accepts that. And compared to a century ago that colleges do not accept females, nor some companies do not get female employees, now they are accepted. One cannot really tell of how this happened, it just did. What I am trying to say here is that maybe, if we do not pay as much attention to the gender differences, the world will be a better place. With all due respect to those theorists and their constant search and exploration for knowledge, but I stand by my own opinion. ReferencesThe Library of Economics and Liberty. (2002). Gender Gap. Retrieved December 31, 2007, from http://econlib. org/library/Enc/GenderGap. html Business Week. (26 May 2003). The New Gender Gap. Retrieved December 31, 2007, from http://www. businessweek. com/magazine/content/03_21/b3834001_mz001. htm International Society for Technology in Education. (May 2006). Has the Gender Gap Closed? Retrieved December 31, 2007, from www. iste. org/Content/NavigationMenu/Publications/LL/LLIssues/Volume_33_2006_2005_/May_No_8_/33806a. pdf

How Honeybees Turn Nectar Into Honey

How Honeybees Turn Nectar Into Honey The sweet, viscous honey we take for granted as a sweetener or cooking ingredient is the product of industrious honeybees working as a highly organized colony, collecting flower nectar and converting it into a high-sugar food store. The production of honey by bees involves several chemical processes, including digestion, regurgitation, enzyme activity, and evaporation. Bees create honey as a highly efficient food source to sustain themselves year-round, including the dormant months of winter- human beings are just along for the ride. In the commercial honey-gathering  industry, the excess honey in the hive is what is harvested for packaging and sale, with enough honey left in the hive to sustain the bee population until it becomes active again the following spring.   The Honeybee Colony A honeybee colony generally consists of one queen bee- the only fertile female; a few thousand drone bees, which are fertile males; and tens of thousands of worker bees, which are sterile females.  In the production of honey, these worker bees take on specialized roles as  foragers  and  house bees. Gathering and Processing Flower Nectar The actual process of transforming the flower nectar into honey requires teamwork. First,  older forager  worker bees  fly out from the hive in search of nectar-rich flowers. Using its straw-like proboscis, a forager bee drinks the liquid nectar from a flower and stores it in a special organ called the honey stomach. The bee continues to forage until its honey stomach is full, visiting 50 to 100  flowers per trip from the hive. At the moment the nectars reach the honey stomach, enzymes begin to break down the complex sugars of the nectar into simpler sugars that are less prone to crystallization. This process is called inversion. Handing Off the Nectar With a full belly, the forager  bee heads back to the hive and regurgitates the already modified nectar directly to  a younger house bee. The house bee ingests the sugary offering from the forager bee, and its own enzymes further break down the sugars. Within the hive, house bees pass the nectar from individual to individual until the water content is reduced to about 20 percent. At this point, the last house bee regurgitates the fully inverted nectar into a cell of the honeycomb.   Next, the hive bees beat their wings furiously, fanning the nectar to evaporate its remaining water content; evaporation is also helped by the temperature inside a hive being a constant 93 to 95 F. As the water evaporates, the sugars thicken into a substance recognizable as honey. When an individual cell is full of honey, the house bee caps the beeswax cell, sealing the honey into the honeycomb for later consumption. The beeswax is produced by glands on the bees abdomen. Collecting Pollen While most foraging bees are dedicated to collecting nectar for the production of honey, about 15 to 30 percent of the foragers are collecting pollen on their flights out from the hive.  The pollen is used to make beebread, the bees main source of dietary protein. The pollen also provides bees with fats, vitamins, and minerals. To keep pollen from spoiling, the bees add enzymes and acids to it  from salivary gland secretions. How Much Honey Is Produced? A single worker bee lives only a few weeks and in that time produces only about 1/12th of a teaspoon of honey.  But working cooperatively, a hives thousands of worker bees can produce more than  200 pounds of honey for the colony within a year. Of this amount, a beekeeper can harvest 30 to 60 pounds of honey without compromising the colonys ability to survive the winter.   The Food Value of Honey A tablespoon of honey contains 60 calories, 16 grams of sugar, and 17 grams of carbs. For humans, its a less bad sweetener than refined sugar, because honey contains antioxidants and enzymes. Honey can vary in color, flavor, and antioxidant level, depending on where it is produced because it can be made from so many different trees and flowers. For example, eucalyptus honey may seem to have a hint of menthol flavor. Honey made from nectar from fruit bushes may have more fruity undertones than honey  made from nectars of flowering plants. Honey produced and sold locally is often much more unique in taste than honey manufactured on a huge scale and appearing on grocery store shelves, because these widely distributed products are highly refined and pasteurized, and they may be blends of honey  from many different regions.   Honey can be purchased in several different forms. It is available as a traditional viscous liquid in glass or plastic bottles, or it can be purchased as slabs of honeycomb with honey still packed in the cells. You can also buy honey in granulated form or whipped or creamed to make it easier to spread.   Bee Species All honey consumed by people is produced by only seven different species of  honeybees. Other types of bees, and a few other insects, also make honey, but these types are not used for commercial production and human consumption. Bumblebees, for example, make a similar honey-like substance to store their nectar, but its not the sweet delicacy that honeybees make.  Neither is it made in the same quantity because, in  a bumblebee colony, only the queen hibernates for the winter. About Nectar   Honey is not possible at all without nectar from flowering plants. Nectar is a sweet, liquidy substance produced by glands within plant flowers. Nectar is an  evolutionary adaptation that attracts insects to the flowers by offering them nutrition. In return, the insects help fertilize the flowers by transmitting pollen particles clinging to their bodies from flower to flower during their foraging activities. In this synergetic relationship, both parties benefit: Bees and other insects gain food while simultaneously transmitting the pollen necessary to fertilization and seed production in the flowering plants. In its natural state, nectar contains about 80 percent  water, along with complex sugars. Left unattended, nectar eventually ferments and is useless as a food source for bees. It cannot be stored for any length of time by the insects. But by transforming the nectar into honey, the bees create an efficient and usable carbohydrate that is only 14 to 18 percent water and one that can be stored almost indefinitely without fermenting or spoiling. Pound for pound, honey provides bees with a much more concentrated energy source that can sustain them through cold winter months.

The Economic Struggles of Landlocked Countries

The Economic Struggles of Landlocked Countries If a country is landlocked, it is likely to be poor. In fact, most countries that lack coastal access are among the world’s Least Developed Countries (LDCs), and their inhabitants occupy the â€Å"bottom billion† tier of the worlds population in terms of poverty.* Outside Europe, there is not a single successful, highly developed, landlocked country when measured with the  Human Development Index  (HDI), and most of the countries with the lowest HDI scores are landlocked. Export Costs Are High The  United Nations  has an Office of the High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries, and Small Island Developing States. The UN-OHRLLS holds the view that high transport costs due to distance and terrain detract from landlocked countries’ competitive edge for exports.   Landlocked countries that do attempt to participate in the global economy must contend with the administrative burden of transporting goods through neighboring countries or must pursue costly alternatives to shipping, such as air-freight. The Wealthiest Landlocked Countries However, despite the challenges that most landlocked countries face, a few of the world’s wealthiest countries, when measured by GDP per capita (PPP), happen to be landlocked, including: Luxembourg ($92,400)Liechtenstein ($89,400)Switzerland ($55,200)San Marino ($55,000)Austria ($45,000)Andorra ($37,000) Strong and Stable Neighbors There are several factors that have contributed to the success of these landlocked countries. First, they are simply more geographically fortunate than most other landlocked countries by virtue of being located in Europe, where no country is very far from a coast. Furthermore, the coastal neighbors of these wealthy countries enjoy strong economies, political stability, internal peace, reliable infrastructure and friendly relations across their borders. Luxembourg, for example, is well-connected to the rest of Europe by roads, railways, and airlines and can count on being able to export goods and labor through Belgium, the Netherlands, and France almost effortlessly. In contrast, Ethiopia’s nearest coasts are across borders with Somalia and Eritrea, which are usually beset with political turmoil, internal conflict, and poor infrastructure. The political boundaries that separate countries from coasts are not as meaningful in Europe as they are in the developing world. Small Countries Europe’s landlocked powerhouses also benefit from being smaller countries with longer legacies of independence. Nearly all of the landlocked countries of Africa, Asia, and South America were at one time colonized by European powers that were attracted to their vast size and plentiful natural resources. Even when they gained independence, most landlocked economies remained dependent on natural resource exports. Tiny countries like Luxembourg, Liechtenstein, and Andorra do not have the option of relying on natural resource exports, so they have invested heavily in their financial, technology, and service sectors. To remain competitive in these sectors, wealthy landlocked countries invest heavily in the education of their populations and enact policies that encourage business. International companies like eBay and Skype maintain European headquarters in Luxembourg because of its low taxes and friendly business climate. Poor landlocked countries, on the other hand, have been known to invest very little into education, sometimes in order to protect authoritarian governments, and they are plagued by corruption that keeps their populations poor and bereft of public services – all of which precludes international investment. Helping Landlocked Countries While it may appear that geography has condemned many landlocked countries to poverty, efforts have been made to soften the limitations posed by a lack of sea-access through policy and international cooperation. In 2003, the International Ministerial Conference of Landlocked and Transit Developing Countries and Donor Countries on Transit Transport Cooperation was held in  Almaty, Kazakhstan. Participants designed a Program of Action, recommending that landlocked countries and their neighbors, Reduce customs processes and fees to minimize costs and transport delaysImprove infrastructure with respect to existing preferences of local transport modes, with a focus of roads in Africa and rail in South AsiaImplement preferences for landlocked countries’ commodities to boost their competitiveness in the international marketEstablish relationships between donor countries with landlocked and transit countries for technical, financial, and policy improvements Were these plans to succeed, politically-stable, landlocked countries could feasibly overcome their geographical barriers, as Europe’s landlocked countries have done. * Paudel. 2005, p. 2.

How far was St. Augustines mission a key turning point in the Coursework

How far was St. Augustines mission a key turning point in the conversion of Britain 550-700 - Coursework Example This mission was referred to as the Gregorian mission. This mission led by Augustine marked the turning point for the Anglo Saxons pagans; the mission spread to the regions spontaneously and later merged with the Celtic mission.1 The activities that preceded the arrival of St Augustine to Kent changed the history of the regions. With the Kent kingdom being powerful at the time, the conversion of the King ushered in immense success for the kingdom of Kent. St. Augustine Mission Background In 410, the province of Britannia was left by the Roman legions; this left the people of the Britannia to defend themselves from the attacks led by the Saxons. The Britannia was already converted to Christianity before they left. After the Legions withdrawal, non Christians settled on the island’s southern parts. The inhabitants of the western part of Britain which was beyond the Anglo Saxon’s rule remained Christian dominated. These were Celtic Christians who developed slowly in comple te isolation from Rome. The calculation of Easter and the style of the haircut of the Celtic clerics were different from that of the church in Rome. 1Bede, translated by Leo Sherley-Price, A History of the English Church and People, Penguin Classics, New York, 1988. Evidence of Christianity survival in Eastern Britain during the time exists. However, evidence on the issue of the conversion of native Christians to Anglo Saxons is unavailable. The Saxons invaded the province and destroyed the remnants of the Roman civilisation, economic and religious structures. It was during the era of King Ethelberht who married Bertha, a Christian princess; this was under the condition that she will be allowed to remain Christian that the St. Augustine mission. Before the year 588 Pope Gregory the first decided to send the Gregorian Mission to convert Anglo Saxons to Christianity. Augustine arrived on the Isle of Thanet and entered the Ethelberht’s main town of Canterbury. With the influence of his Christian wife the king was converted to Christianity. The conversion of the King prompted him to give the missionaries freedom to preach the word freely; in addition he gave them land which resulted to founding of a monastery. Augustine was ordained as bishop and many of the Kings subjects were converted, it was during the same year of 597 in the Christmas Day that mass baptism was held, thousand of the people in Kent were baptised. The baptism of the king and his 2000 servants marked the turning point of the medieval history because the church gained grounds to penetrate the region. The mission of Augustine Augustine was at that time, accompanied or escorted by Laurence of Canterbury and a group of 40 companions who comprised of monks. On landing in Kent the mission had great initial success. The success was marked by the conversion of Ethelberht. During the early medieval period, religious conversion was more successful with the conversion of the ruler. The subjects could then easily emulate the ruler. This hierarchical approach was liked by many people. Bede Portrays Augustine as aggressive and conformist. Augustine triggered the conversion of the Anglo Saxons, he is portrayed as conformist due to believe he held which he had about the Roman Church, these believes were affirmed by Wilfred in the Whitby Synod. The region of Kent played key role in the conversion of Britain in the period dating 550-700 due to number of reasons. Kent was by the then the reigning regime in the south eastern

Fundementals of communication term papaer Essay

Fundementals of communication term papaer - Essay Example My visits to Qatar however realign my communication approach. Group discussions, video-calling, online chatting, and email writing are some of the communication rituals that I engage in and their rules vary across cultural factors such as norms, values, and history. I, in this paper, explore the scope of cross-cultural communication along the rituals and rules. The communication rituals across cultures Group discussions Discussions in school and at work are some of the involved activities in cross-cultural communication and are significant to both interpersonal relations and in achieving discussions’ objectives. Discussions in school are mostly academic and aim at completing assignments and expanding individuals’ knowledge base on a subject. Culture however forms a barrier to this communication when discussions involve students from different cultures. Significant obstacles emerge between students from the western culture, especially natives in the United States, and st udents from Asian countries because these two groups have conflicting cultures regarding communication. Communication in the western culture is for example simple and direct while people from the East prefer an explorative approach to communication in which meanings are explained for sufficient understanding. Americans are also direct in their communication while some of the cultures from Asia prefer a developed interpersonal relationship before engaging in a communication’s subject matter. Other applicable barriers to cross cultural communication are culture-based ascent and respect for authority. People from the western culture offer an informal approach to communication and do not regard authority while individuals from most Asian cultures hold high regard for authority in their communication. These differences emerge to hinder discursive communications in both academic and work environments (Zhu and Zhu n.d.; Crossman and Kite, 2007). Culture is therefore the basis of com munication challenges in diversified set up and cultural awareness and cultural intelligence offer a solution. Cultural awareness defines knowledge of other people’s cultures and allows communicating parties to understand their partners in communication and be patient and tolerant, a factors that bridges developed barriers in cross cultural communication. Cultural intelligence however defines sensitivity to other cultures that allows a person to predict behavior of people from other cultures and to respond appropriately towards underscoring possible effects of cultural differences. This means that encountered cultural differences to discursive communications can be managed to ensure successful communication (Zhu and Zhu n.d.; Crossman and Kite, 2007). Video calling The obstacles in face-to-face cross-cultural communication are encountered in video calling that is another form of direct communication. This therefore means that video calling is subject to culture-based differen ces with respect to factors such as respect for authority, approach to communication, and cultural awareness and sensitivity among communicating parties are essential solutions. â€Å"Effects of local context and relations† are also significant to intercultural video calling (Lauring, 2011, p. 248). A person’s locality may suffer from technical and technological inefficiencies such as unavailability of the internet and a video camera or availability in poor quality, factors that hinder video calling (Crossman and