Investigation on Hertfordshire Water Supply Contamination Essay

Investigation on Hertfordshire Water Supply Contamination - Essay Example In order to maintain the admissible levels of contaminants and to supply water that is safe for the common people, there are drinking water standards that different water supply systems are required to follow (Zaslow & Herman, 1996). Such an issue of water contamination is also reflected by the case of Hertfordshire water supply, the Chalk Aquifer where a public water supply system got affected by bromated contamination that posed problems with leakage in the site in the year 2000. The accepted standard for bromated in water is 10Â µg/l (Quevauiller & Thompson, 2006, p.40), while in the concerned case, the concentration has been known to reach a level of around 150Â µg/l (Fitzpatrick et al, n.d.). Bromate contamination is of serious concern it is a carcinogenic in nature and pollutes the water drastically (Hill, 2010, p.292). Thus the bromate contamination in the case of Hertfordshire water supply and the leakage in the site of Sandridge near St Albans calls for significant investi gation and study to understand the causes, the situation as well as to find out relevant recommendations for the recovery of the condition, which is the primary concern of the current research and study. The Investigation and Assessment of the Contaminated Site: The investigation and assessment of the contaminated site in the case of Hertfordshire water supply would include the following major steps: (a) identifying the process that has been used in the plant, (b) identifying and assessing how the spillage of bromate occurred, (c) using the different parameters - process indicators, the notification of occurrence of unwanted events, and indicators related to public health – to understand how the plant might have been negligent in some respects that led to the incident, (d) assessing the monitoring measures applied in the plant, and (e) identifying how the plant might have responded to the occurrence of the incident. (a) Process used in the Hertfordshire Water Supply: Studies reflect that the Chalk Aquifer presents a huge source of drinking water (Dassargues, 2000, p.195) for a major part of Greater London. The water is primarily supplied from the rainfall in the region of Hertfordshire (Ellis & Bertrand-Krajewski, 2009, p.112). If an overview of Hertfordshire’s present situation related to the water supply and treatment can be presented, it would reflect the status as in the following figure (Figure 1). Status Current Status Future Expectation Water Framework Directive Moderate Good status has been obtained by around 24 percent of the water bodies. The Hertfordshire rivers determine the low or high quality of the water bodies It is expected that the water bodies in the region have plans to satisfy the ecological needs of the environment by 2027. Quality of Water Moderate The river lengths that have been achieving high grades have shown increase since 1990. The water bodies have been focused on the appropriate treatment of the sewages. Serious rec ords of pollution have not been obtained since 2009. Diffuse pollution risks are still high. Plans to reduce the risks of diffuse pollution. Absolutely no records of serious pollution and reduction of any pollution incidents. Continue with the sewage treatment measures. Figure 1: Overview of Hertfordshire’s water supply and treatment (Allum & Dixon, 2010, pp.3-4). This study reflects a serious factor that the water supply system in the Hertfordshire is concerned about the pollution and the contamination and thus the processes followed are focused on the reduction of such incidents. This also hints that when the bromate contamination

Analyze temples Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Analyze temples - Essay Example The Belvedere Temple is the only remaining above ground Etruscan temple, since most Roman temples were built on top of the Etruscan temple’s ruins. The only remains of the Belvedere Temple are a partial stone wall and stone rubble. The wood roof is long gone. There is evidence of the two rows of pillars familiar to the Etruscan temples. The temple had three equal cells (Brenders). There is no evidence of what god or goddess this particular temple was built for. We can only imagine what type of religion the people who built the temple observed. Since the temple is so old, the architect is unknown. Etruscan temples like the Belvedere Temple were the inspiration for the latter Roman and Greek temples. One Roman temple built with an Etruscan influence was the Parthenon. The Parthenon was built on the Acropolis in Athens. The Parthenon was built to worship the goddess Athena. This temple was built of the Doric order. This temple was built from 447 to 432 B.C., under the leadership Of Pericles, by the architects Ictinus and Callicrates (Parthenon). The Pantheon was a rectangle building made of marble, with a central room separated by a wall (Parthenon). In one room was a statue of Athena. A walkway created a path around the center rooms. These walkways were in the shadows of the columns around the building. There were seventeen columns on the side, with eight columns on the end (Parthenon). Through out the years the Parthenon has been a temple to Athena, a Christian church dedicated to the Virgin Mary and a Mosque under Ottoman rule (Parthenon). Eventually the beautiful marble building was left in ruins after warfare in 1687. A Venetian general blew off the roof when the Ottoman sol diers used Acropolis as a garrison for their army (Parthenon). In the end, a variety of people worshiped at a temple built for Athena. The Greeks built their own temple for all of the

Literature Sources for Nurse Administrators

Literature Sources for Nurse Administrators Pramila Chaudhary Nurse leaders today are assuming active role in planning, designing, managing, and organizing patient care delivery models in order to meet the challenges of mounting health care costs faced by health care settings. Department of Health and Human Services, through their Medicare Shared Savings Program, released a rule in 2011, to reward Account Care Organizations that lower healthcare cost and meet evidence-based quality performance parameters (Hajewski, 2014). A nurse administrator in healthcare setting is required to implement measures to find efficient ways of providing nursing care, safety, quality outcomes, and staff development. Planning care management based on evidence and research are within scope of nursing and the conceptual framework of management and leadership (Galganski, 2006). Nurse administrators today have access to many sources of financial and business literature regarding current trends in health care changes and its implication to leadership and management theor y. Table -A below identifies five source journals and Table-B identifies ten literature sources for reference in advance clinical practice and planning care models best outcomes for patients. Nurse leaders are required to continually meet current demands of rising health care costs and must plan to implement value-based changes to provide the best patient care. Table-A below shows management Journals for reference providing knowledge through peer reviewed articles on the web links on the site. Table-B below shows literature sources found to add current knowledge through blogs, news and peer reviewed articles compiled on the web links provided on the site. Interagency Council on Information Resources in Nursing (ICIRN) (ICIRN, 2014) gives a comprehensive guide to how resources can be applied to nursing practice depending on the need to research related practice articles. Journal Resource Usefulness in Practice Journal Of Nursing Administration (JONA) JONA is a journal for nursing leaders and administrators to be used as a guide for decisions in managing healthcare organization related to nursing, business and finance. Nurse leaders can also avail current news, blogs, and research relating to healthcare organizations from JONA, a peer-reviewed journal (JONA, 2014). Nursing Management Journal Nursing Management journal is a resource for nurse leaders with peer-reviewed articles that provide practical information, as well as legal and ethical guide to nursing practice. â€Å"Nursing Management provides regular features, columns, continuing education, staff development and education, and more.† (Nursing Management, 2014). Nursing Administration Quarterly Journal Nursing Administration Quarterly (NAQ) journal provides peer-reviewed articles that nursing administrators can use to answer nursing practice and management related questions. It is published 4 times per year (NAQ, 2014). Nursing Economic$ Journal Nursing Economic$ provides resources for nursing leadership in health care. â€Å"The journal supports nurse leaders and others who are responsible for directing nursings impact on health care cost and quality outcomes.† (Nurse Economics, 2014). Nurse Leader (Bimonthly Journal) Nurse Leader journal is a bimonthly journal and provides nurses with practical information like how to strive for magnet status of hospital and other management studies in organizational theory, and is a valuable reference for nurse leaders (Nurse Leader, 2014). Table-A- Journal Sources Literature Sources Usefulness in Practice American Nurses Association (ANA) Nursing world. ANA is a professional Nursing organization promoting the rights of nurses, lobbying for nurses in the congress. ANA codes of ethics are used as guide to address nursing practice issues. ANA established a code of professional nursing and is a valuable source for ethics in nursing (ANA, 2014). Journal of Advanced Nursing The Journal of Advanced Nursing (JAN) is an international peer reviewed Journal.JAN is well known for research and scholarship advocacy, and for up to date news on quality standards. It is a source for nursing administrators for news, journals articles and current information for nursing, medicine, allied health, and pharmacy. Worldviews on Evidence-Based Nursing. (2014). (Quarterly). This online Journal from Sigma Theta Tau International is free for members and provides knowledge, systematic reviews, and articles useful for nursing practice, current quality and research information. Nursing administrators, nursing educators and public health care policy makers can use this information. STTI addresses current nursing and healthcare trends and issues in nursing and health care (STTI, 2014). Lippincott ‘s Nursing Center.com This site provides professional and clinical database for nursing administration practice and organizations including CE, nursing journals abstracts, certification and licensure guides, news updates, job opportunities, and RSS feeds (Really Simple Syndication). (Nursingcenter.com, 2014). The Joint Commission. The Joint Commission is an independent organization and promotes safe patient care by accreditation for hospitals and other health organizations. Nursing administrators can use this source to guide hospital quality and practice standards (Joint Commission, 214) Online Journal of Nursing Informatics (OJNI) As described in the information about the journal, OJNI provides knowledge regarding electronic documenting for managing health records and nursing care. OJNI can be used for reference and new and updated informatics news in nursing practice (OJNI, 2014). Medscape Nurses web site Medscape Nurses site includes Blogs, experts, and viewpoints; it also provides free newsletters alerts on clinical advances in nursing, and includes current information for education and clinical nursing practice (Medscape nurses, 2014). American Journal of Nursing (AJN) The American Journal of Nursing promotes high standards in nursing practice. It is peer reviewed and evidence-based, and presents professional issues faced by nurses. This is a useful site as it promotes nursing perspectives (AJN, 2014). AHRQ (Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality) The Agency for Healthcare Research and Qualitys (AHRQ) is a resource from U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and offers quality, safety, and evidence based research information (AHRQ, 2014). This site is useful to get current research and quality measures that are being studied and to get data on previous studies, useful for nursing practice as it relates to patient care (AHRQ, 2014). Association of Operating Room Nursing (AORN, 2014) The AORN Journal and website is a resource for standards of operating room nursing with scholarly, evidence-based, peer-reviewed articles. The journal and website provide physiological, behavioral, patient safety. Information regarding research and quality improvement, and education can be obtained here. This journal provides valuable information and recommends standards of perioperative nursing(AORN, 2014). Table –B – Literature Sources The article in Journal of Nursing Administration, â€Å"Care Coordination: A Model for the Acute Care Hospital Setting† by Hajewski Shirey (2014), addresses problem of fragmented care by physicians and multiple care providers resulting in increased health costs. The new care model is developed in response to healthcare reform legislation, which rewards accountable care organizations through a Shared Medicare Savings program, accounting for quality of care and reducing medical cost. The article provides valuable information to nursing administrators. The article in Nursing Management journal by Hollingsworth et al., (2014), â€Å"Diving into data: Quantifying efficiency by improving patient flow† proposes care organizations to strive for quality and volume in keeping with current demands placed by Affordable Care Act. Hollingsworth et al., (2014) propose that hospitals must reduce admission delays, long waits, uncoordinated care, and discharge processes. The article proposes electronic debriefing of daily operations and bed status report to organizational leadership for more efficient outcomes. The article in American Journal of Nursing by Wallis (2014-11), â€Å"CMS to Compensate Providers for Coordinating Care† discusses how nurse practioners may be compensated for services they already provide to chronically ill patients they care for. According to Wallis (2014), CMS establishes new policy to pay for coordination of care in management of multiple chronic health conditions. This policy is geared towards better access and quality of care for Medicare beneficiaries. The article also discusses patient centered care document and Shared Savings Program for long-term care management services. Nurse leaders may apply methods based on information from credible journals to improve care in an efficient manner. The article, â€Å"Physician Practice Participation in Accountable Care Organizations: The Emergence of the Unicorn† by Shortell et al., (2014) analyses a study to evaluate participation of physicians and healthcare management processes to provide efficient care in Accountable care Organizations. Shortell et al., (2014) argue that the affordable care act expansion of coverage will not remain affordable over time, unless hospitals find a way to deliver care more efficiently and effectively. Lewis et al., in their article found in the Cochrane Library database, discussed increasing demand for healthcare providers to reduce costs in surgical cases. Lewis et al., propose that studies did not reveal a clear difference between care provided by anesthesiologist and nurse anesthetist when it came to adverse patient outcomes like death. As healthcare expands in the Affordable Heath Care Act, hospitals are driven toward using nurse anesthetists in order to implement cost reducing measures (Lewis et al., 2014). Nursing leadership can use this study to relate to their facility. Conclusion In conclusion, nurse leaders and managers have access to current and credible literature from wide range of disciplines ranging from nursing, medicine, social sciences, business, finance, and research regarding evidence based practice and quality measures, and management and leadership topics, which is useful in planning and directing nursing care as well as implement changes on policies and procedures that need to be re evaluated. Nursing management includes direct care managers who are responsible for primary care, middle managers who are responsible for coordinating care between departments, and nurse executives who are responsible for directing care in a healthcare facility; reviewing the literature is equally valuable for all levels of management for guiding decisions based on current knowledge. Nurse educators and faculty uses literature review as a teaching strategy, and for professional development of graduating nurses. Searching databases like CINAHL and PubMed will provide a wide range of nursing practice and related discipline topics, in addition nurse administrators need to consider rising health care costs and new regulations to form partnership with government such as Shared Medicare Savings program pose new challenges for todays nursing administrators. References AHRQ. (2014). About Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. Retrieved from http://www.ahrq.gov/consumer/ American Journal of Nursing. (AJN). (2014). About the Journal. Retrieved from http://journals.lww.com/ajnonline/Pages/AbouttheJournal.aspx American Nurses Association. (2014). About American Nurses Association. Retrieved from http://nursingworld.org/FunctionalMenuCategories/AboutANA Association of Operating Room Nursing. (2014). About AORN. Retrieved from http://www.aornjournal.org Essential Nursing Resources: for the Interagency Council on Information Resources in Nursing (ICIRN).. (n.d.) >The Free Library. (2014). Retrieved from http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Essential+Nursing+Resources%3a+for+the+Interagency+ Council+on-a0209535655 Galganski, C. J. (2006). Mapping the literature of nursing administration. Journal Of The Medical Library Association, 94E-87-E-91. Hajewski, C. (2014-11). Care coordination: a model for the acute care hospital setting. The Journal of nursing administration, 44(11), 577585.doi:10.1097/NNA.0000000000000129 Hollingsworth Forbes III, T., Crickmore Osborne, K., Hartsell, K. C., Wall, B. (2014). Diving into data: Quantifying efficiency by improving patient flow. Nursing Management, 45(7), 18-25. doi:10.1097/01.NUMA.0000451031.54092.2c Joint Commission Resources. (2014) About Joint Commission. Retrieved from http://www.jointcommission.org/about_us/about_the_joint_commission_main.aspx Journal of Nursing Administration (JONA). (2014). About the journal. Retrieved from http://journals.lww.com/jonajournal/pages/aboutthejournal.aspx Lewis SR, Nicholson A, Smith AF, Alderson P. Physician anaesthetists versus non-physician providers of anaesthesia for surgical patients. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2014, Issue 7. Art. No.: CD010357. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD010357.pub2. Lippincott ‘s Nursing Center.com (2014). About the Journal. Retrieved from http://nursingcenter.com Medscape Nurses. (2014). About Medscape Nurses. Retrieved from http://www.medscape.com/nurses/resource Nurse Leader. (2014). About the journal. Retrieved from http://www.nurseleader.com/content/aims Nursing Management (NM). (2014). About the Publication. Retrieved from http://journals.lww.com/nursingmanagement/Pages/aboutthepublication.aspx Nursing Economic$. (2014). The Journal for Healthcare leaders. About the journal. Retrieved from http://www.nursingeconomics.net/cgi-bin/WebObjects/NECJournal Online Journal of Nursing Informatics. (OJNI). (2014). About the Journal. Retrieved from http://www.ojni.org Shortell, S. M., McClellan, S. R., Ramsay, P. P., Casalino, L. P., Ryan, A. M., Copeland, K. R. (2014). Physician Practice Participation in Accountable Care Organizations: The Emergence of the Unicorn. Health Services Research, 49(5), 1519-1536. doi:10.1111/1475-6773.1216 The American Journal of Nursing (AJN). (2014). About the journal. Retrieved from http://journals.lww.com/ajnonline/Pages/AbouttheJournal.aspx The Journal of Advanced Nursing (JAN). (2014). Overview of the journal. Retrieved from http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/10.1111/(ISSN)13652648/homepage/ProductInfor mation.html Wallis, L. (2014-11). CMS to Compensate Providers for Coordinating Care. The American journal of nursing, 114(11), 16.doi:10.1097/01.NAJ.0000456414.33785.23 Worldviews on Evidence-Based Nursing. (2014). (Quarterly). SSTI Journals. About SSTI. Retrieved from http://www.nursingsociety.org/Publications/Pages/Journals.aspx Wolters Kluwer Health and Lippincott Williams Wilkins. (2014). Retrieved from http://journals.lww.com/pages/default.aspx

All Quiet on the Western Front Essays: Two Years :: All Quiet on the Western Front Essays

All Quiet on the Western Front   Two Years      The book I chose to read was All Quiet on the Western Front, by Erich Maria Remarque. The story told in All Quiet on the Western Front occurs during the two years just before the Armistice ended World War I in November 1918. By 1916 when the story begins, World War I had already been underway for two years. From the beginning, World War I was fought in two areas, named for their geographical relationship to Germany. The Eastern Front extended into Russia, and the Western Front extended through Belgium into Northern France. The main character is a young man named Paul Baumer who is a 19 year-old private in the German army. It follows Paul trough the horrors of World War I. Paul joins the army after a recruiter named Kantorek pumps him and his friends full of glory and honor. Glory and honor they can get by joining up. Paul is excited that he is going off to war.   Once he arrives at the front he begins to understand the â€Å"terrible thing called war.† He realizes that war isn’t all glory, there is death and destruction. Paul learns to deal with the deaths of all his friends and how to keep his mind clear without turning into an animal. One of the big issues in the book was Kemmerich’s leather boots. At his death everybody was squabbling over who would get them. Remarque, in my opinion, shows you the pettiness between good friends because of war. Remarque kind of slips in these themes, some others are how terrible war really is, friendship is a must to stay alive on the battlefield, and World War I destroyed a generation.   During the time period of All Quiet on the Western Front the Russian were rebelling against Czar Nicholas II. Eventually him and his entire family were killed, and so began communist Russia. Also during this time European countries were colonizing Asia and Africa which was one of the causes of World War I. The Ottoman Empire collapses and the introduction of Henry Ford’s Model T.   If there was one thing that I learned from this book it is that war is not pretty. Despite what the recruiters and military personnel say, if there is a war you can die.

David Copperfield by Charles Dickens

The novel traces the life of David Copperfield from the time of his birth to his mature manhood, when he is married and familiar with the vicissitudes of life. His early years are enjoyable with his mother — who was widowed shortly before his birth — and with her servant, Peggotty. Life is happy for David until his mother decides to marry Mr. Murdstone; afterward, life becomes unbearable for David. He is soon sent to a miserable school where he becomes friendly with James Steerforth, a fellow student. When David's mother dies, he is taken from school and put to work by Mr. Murdstone in a London warehouse.Although David enjoys the company of the impoverished Micawber family, with whom he boards, his other associates and the work are intolerable, so, without money or property, he runs away to his Aunt Betsey Trotwood in Dover. Despite a stern exterior, Aunt Betsey treats him well, adopting him and sending him to a good school. While at school, he boards with a Mr. Wickfie ld and his daughter Agnes. (Throughout the novel, David retains a fond, sisterly affection for Agnes. ) After graduation, David works in the law office of Spenlow ; Jorkins and soon falls in love with Mr.Spenlow's daughter, Dora. About this time, Em'ly, the Peggottys' beloved niece, runs off to marry Steerforth, whom David had innocently introduced to her while she was engaged to Ham, a nephew of the Peggottys. The family is saddened by this development, but Mr. Peggotty sets out to find her and bring her back. David uses his spare time doing clerical and literary work to help Aunt Betsey, who now finds herself without financial resources. He marries Dora, only to find that he has a â€Å"child-wife† who knows nothing of housekeeping and cannot accept any responsibility.Meanwhile, Uriah Heep, an â€Å"umble† clerk in Mr. Wickfield's employ, whom David dislikes, has deceitfully worked his way into a partnership, aided by Mr. Wickfield's weakness for wine. In addition, D avid also discovers that his old friend Mr. Micawber has gone to work for Heep. David has remained fond of the Micawbers, and it troubles him that his old friend is working for a scoundrel. Eventually, however, Micawber has a grand moment of glory when he exposes Heep as a fraud, helping to save Mr. Wickfield and restoring some of Aunt Betsey's finances.David's wife, Dora, becomes ill and dies, and David is troubled until Em'ly, the Peggottys' niece, returns to her uncle. David has felt guilty for some time for having introduced Em'ly to Steerforth. After a reconciliation is accomplished, Em'ly, along with some of the Peggottys, and the Micawbers leave for Australia to begin new lives. Before they leave, David witnesses a dramatic shipwreck in which Steerforth is killed, as is Ham in attempting to rescue him. Still saddened by the loss of his wife and other events, David goes abroad for three years.It is only after he returns that he realizes that Agnes Wickfield has been his true l ove all along, and their happy marriage takes place at last. I don’t know what to think of the book. I found the starting bits very boring. David Copperfield is the least interesting character in the book, and because the beginning of the book deals almost entirely with him†¦well, let’s say it was heavy going for me. In fact, the book itself doesn’t really take off till almost the middle of the story when David’s aunt loses her fortune. After that, David and his friends really stop messing about, and start trying to fix their messed up lives.Until then, it’s all a hodge-podge of bad choices in love, and money. Dickens has a somewhat preachy, moralistic hero, and the tone of this book reflects that. I found some humorous sections, but not many, and the pace is uneven. Towards the end, the last 200 pages or so, Dickens is really forced to up the pace, and it’s an odd feeling when a slow book suddenly hurtles towards the end. In the proces s, Dickens ends up killing one important character, exporting a whole bunch of people to Australia, and sending another couple of people to prison!So, I didn’t like David Copperfield (the hero I mean), and I wouldn’t have liked the book either if not for the really interesting secondary characters. There is Agnes – David’s good and wise childhood friend who is in love with him, David’s silly wife – Dora, the perennially in debt Micawbers, the evil albino Uriah Heep, the sentimental and kind Mr. Peggotty, David’s aunt – the strong, feminist Betsey Trotwood†¦so many people to keep track of†¦but good fun anyway. Charles dickens Charles Dickens is much loved for his great contribution to classic English literature.He was the quintessential Victorian author. His epic stories, vivid characters and exhaustive depiction of contemporary life are unforgettable. His own story is one of rags to riches. He was born in Portsmouth o n 7 February 1812, to John and Elizabeth Dickens. The good fortune of being sent to school at the age of nine was short-lived because his father, inspiration for the character of Mr Micawber in ‘David Copperfield', was imprisoned for bad debt. The entire family, apart from Charles, were sent to Marshalsea along with their patriarch.Charles was sent to work in Warren's blacking factory and endured appalling conditions as well as loneliness and despair. After three years he was returned to school, but the experience was never forgotten and became fictionalised in two of his better-known novels ‘David Copperfield' and ‘Great Expectations'. Like many others, he began his literary career as a journalist. His own father became a reporter and Charles began with the journals ‘The Mirror of Parliament' and ‘The True Sun'. Then in 1833 he became parliamentary journalist for The Morning Chronicle.With new contacts in the press he was able to publish a series of sk etches under the pseudonym ‘Boz'. In April 1836, he married Catherine Hogarth, daughter of George Hogarth who edited ‘Sketches by Boz'. Within the same month came the publication of the highly successful ‘Pickwick Papers', and from that point on there was no looking back for Dickens. As well as a huge list of novels he published autobiography, edited weekly periodicals including ‘Household Words' and ‘All Year Round', wrote travel books and administered charitable organisations.He was also a theatre enthusiast, wrote plays and performed before Queen Victoria in 1851. His energy was inexhaustible and he spent much time abroad – for example lecturing against slavery in the United States and touring Italy with companions Augustus Egg and Wilkie Collins, a contemporary writer who inspired Dickens' final unfinished novel ‘The Mystery of Edwin Drood'. He was estranged from his wife in 1858 after the birth of their ten children, but maintained rel ations with his mistress, the actress Ellen Ternan. He died of a stroke in 1870. He is buried at Westminster Abbey.

Population & The Environment Essay

Discussions regarding the environmental impact of increasing population densities across the globe never lose their currency. From Thomas Malthus to Paul R. Erlich and onwards, there is a persistent concern that a growing international population may not only reach a tipping point in which the planet’s ability to provide for it is stretched to its limit, but begin to experience detrimental effects in the form of environmental problems. This concern is not simply a matter of numbers, but a matter of how industrial civilizations have consistently failed to curtail anthropogenic impacts. As Donella Meadows (199) opines, â€Å"not only are there so many more of us, but each of us is bigger† when one measures the amount of energy and material we use and the amount of pollutants and waste created by the industries we have created to support our energy and material use. In effect, â€Å"The number of people is not what degrades the earth; it’s the number of people times the flow of energy and material each person commands. † One of the most frequently cited means by which highly dense populations negatively impact the environment is through intense car use. Alex Steffen (2008) notes that intensive car use within a finite geographic territory is not only a massive contributor to greenhouse emissions that are warming the planet, but they also command a large amount of resource use through the inputs necessary to maintain highway infrastructure, build the actual cars and fuel them. Granted, the resource consumption and greenhouse emissions caused directly by private automobile ownership is absolutely no surprise to anyone, but the less obvious implication that Steffen reports is that exhaust emissions are only a fraction of the environmental impact of the automobile. Over the course of the mid-20th century onwards, the increasing prominence of the automobile as part of modern living has necessitated the construction of massive highway infrastructure. The result is that when you factor dense populations with intense private ownership and use of automobiles is that not only is there a massive amount of greenhouse emissions, but the amount of pavement this infrastructure commands can contribute significantly to the heat island effect which has become a concern among urban planners as of late. Heat islands not only increase the amount of energy expended on indoor air conditioning, but they can worsen air quality. (Steffen, 2008) As such, Steffen argues that no matter the great lengths that today’s automobile manufacturers go to in order to make their automobiles into shiny fuel-efficient emissions-reduced green things to sate the eco-minded consumer, it will not be enough to remediate environmental impacts brought about by car use. Take for example the push towards biofuels, which is essentially, a push for auto manufacturers, in collaboration with energy companies, to make automobiles that run on renewable agricultural products that emit a reduced amount of greenhouse gases. While there is much fuss in the mainstream press about the extent to which the biofuel industry is cannibalizing the food supply, a more overlooked concern is the manner in which the expansion of industrial agriculture to such a massive scale negatively impacts the environment. Simply put, the principal concern is not the ability of agriculture to feed populations, but rather how the expansion of the food supply, combined with the accommodations made for biofuels, has a deleterious effect on the environment. Manning (85-89) notes that the homogenous and unsustainable approach of industrialized corn-based agriculture is detrimental to the health of the soil. As such, there is a possibility that the massive conversion of lands towards the production of corn could recreate the conditions of The Great Dust Bowl, a period in the American heartland which saw hundreds of thousands of would-be wheat farmers plow the soil to death to profit from golden grain. Thus, as civilizations increase in population density, so too do their demands in food and automobile use, effectively exerting a greater toll on the planet’s natural environment. In any case, we must be mindful to remember that the problems inherent with a massive human population should not lead us to conclude that humans have no ecologically acceptable place in the planet. Humanity is not a virus on the operating system of the planet. Rather, what human society should begin to acknowledge is that it must begin to take a more comprehensive look at its impacts in order to correct them thoroughly. REFERENCES Meadows, Donella. â€Å"The Deep Six. † Grist. 12 October 1999. Retrieved online on March 14, 2009 from: http://www. grist. org/comments/citizen/1999/10/12/deep/index. html Steffen, Alex. â€Å"My Other Car is a Bright Green City. † Worldchanging. 23 January 2008. Retrieved online on March 14, 2009 from: http://www. worldchanging. com/archives/007800. html Manning, Richard. Against the Grain: How Agriculture Has Hijacked Civilization. New York: North Point Press, 2004.

German Nationalism essays

German Nationalism essays Adolf Hitler was not the first man to drastically implement a strong nationalistic country. However, he was the first to implement a distinct form of nationalism, which imbedded highly raciest overtones for the everlasting purification of an Aryan Germany. Hitlers raciest ideals originated from the German Youth Movement during the inter-war period. In short, the Bundische youth carried nationalistic ideals, which were anti-liberal, anti-Semetic and Volkish, these were the three main characteristics of Hitlers platform for a nationalistic Germany. Hitler strongly believed that any alien race, especially Jews would ultimately destroy Germany. Therefore, he had to find a solution that would cure Germany from any infectious people. Lebensraum (living-space) and autarchy became synonymous to Hitler for the purpose of the growth of nationalism and self-determination. Hitler and the Nazi regime would stop at nothing to achieve the growth of this national aim. Politically, Hitler w ould not have been able to take over Germany if the old regime of the Reichstag was in place. The Nazis quickly forbade any political parties by the use of force. Hitlers sense of a national community could only come to rise by the implementation of the Nazi party and the Nazi party only! Economically, Hitler saved Germany form the Great Depression, only it was at the expense of the Jews. The Nazi party relinquished any economic hopes for the Jews for the growth of the Aryan race. The Third Reich went beyond its territory to achieve economic gain by the destructive and deceitful policy of smash and grab. German Nationalism in the years 1933-1945, were, in an extreme sense, geared toward one race in its manifestations for the growth of the social, political, economic and military aspect for the sole benefit of the Gemeinschaft and the Volksdeutsche. Nationalism in Germany between the years 1933-1945 originated around t...

Rock and roll music

Rock and roll music Rock and roll music Rock and roll music has changed the dominance of the European fine-art music though introduction of new fundamentals into the contemporary music arena. The introduction of new performance styles has essentially changed the previous legitimacy associated with performance. For example, majority of performers are perceived as being juveniles. This is because of their close association with social ills such as fornication and drug abuse. Rock and Roll music has led to the development of a new musical landscape with regard to events of the western civilization era. This has led to the a negative perception on civilization. Mainstreaming aspect of the American culture has also contributed significantly to the growth of rock and roll. This is especially on account of revolutionary aspects. Budds remarks, At the heart of the issue is the mainstreaming of attitudes and practices, musical and otherwise, that represent fundamental departures from those institutionalized by the power culture since the colonization of the United States (502). Rock and Roll represents the emergence of youth independence on account of development of new attributes like openness. This has led to significant of competition as a variable in the musical industry due to its profitability. Leaders in the recording industry condemned music from competitors as being culturally and socially irresponsible (Budds 503). Factors drawing the audience to Rock and Roll included spontaneity and the musical process. Language is another important element, for instance, the development. In Tin Pan Alley lyrics your are the angel glow that lights a star (Budds 504) I rock em, roll em all night long: Im a sixty-minute man (Budds 505) Finally, Rock and Roll music has a strong ethnic affiliation. Rock and Roll music has been used as a means of communication, preservation, and renewal of their cultural identity under poor social conditions (Budds 507).

Lesson Plans for Eid al Adha--a Muslim Holiday Celebration

Lesson Plans for Eid al Adhaa Muslim Holiday Celebration Eid al Adha is perhaps the most joyful of Muslim holidays. Coming at the end of the Hajj, it is a family celebration involving gift giving and gathering as a family. This part of the unit introduces the core belief’s of Islam, the specifics of Eid al Adha, and celebrates the cultural differences of two cultures. If you have a Mosque in your community, I would suggest contacting them to find a speaker. Or, you can invite a Muslim that you know to come and speak about how their family celebrates Eid al Adha. They will be thrilled that you recognize the importance of this festival. Day 1: An introduction to Islam and to the Festival Objective: Students will be able to identify Ibrahim, Ishmael and Eid al Adha. Procedure: Do a KWL chart: What do you know about Islam? You students are likely to know very little, and it may negative. How you respond to that will have to do with the ability of your students: You can find majority Muslim countries on a map. You can find pictures on Google Images. Tell the following stories: Muslims believe that many years ago God, or Allah, sent an angel to a man named Mohammed who lived in Mecca in what is not Saudi Arabia. The angel gave Mohammed a holy book called the Koran that told them what God wanted from people. Mohammed is called a prophet, because he brought the word of God to the people of the Middle East. The people who believe the writings of the Koran are called Muslims and the religion is called Islam, which means â€Å"Submission,† or to obey God. Muslims believe that they need to obey God by reading the Koran and doing what it tells them. What they should do is defined by five pillars: Pillar One: Shahadah (Declaration of Faith) â€Å"There is no God but Allah and Muhammad is His Prophet†Pillar Two: Salat (Prayer) Muslims pray at least 5 times a day.Pillar Three: Zakat (Almsgiving)Pillar Four: Sawm (Fasting,) which goes for thirty days during the month of Ramadan.Pillar Five: Hajj (Pilgrimage) Every Muslim hopes to make the pilgrimage to Mecca during the Hajj in their lifetime. Eid al Adha: This festival, which comes at the end of the Hajj, remembers an event in the life of Ibrahim, which is the Arabic name for Abraham. Ibrahim was chosen by Allah to share the word of the Unity of God. He had a single son, Ishmael. The Koran tells the story of how Ibrahim was commanded by God to take his son, Ishmael, to the mountaintop and there to sacrifice him to Allah. Allah wanted Ibrahim to prove to him that he truly was obedient. Ibrahim took his son to the mountain with a heavy heart. He built a fire. He bound Ishmael. As he was about to kill his son, Allah sent Gibril, a messenger angel, to stop him. He brought the message that by being obedient, Ibrahim had truly made a sacrifice. Muslim people gather in the Mosque to remember Ibrahim’s sacrifice. They gather in their homes later to feast and to share gifts. Evaluation: Make the following cards for your word wall: Allah, Islam, Mohammed, Eid al Adha, Ibrahim, Ishmael. Identify the Cards: Mohammed is the Prophet of Allah. Islam is the name of the religion of those who believe in the teachings of Mohammed and the Koran Eid al Adha is a family celebration. Ibrahim was the faithful servant of Allah Ishmael was Ibrahim’s son. After putting them on the wall, ask them to identify: Point to the name of the prophet, etc. Day 2: Zakat (or Alms Giving) Objective: Students will understand that generosity is a value of Islam, by identifying gift giving as a practice of Zakat, or Almsgiving. Procedure: Read the book Aminah and Aisha’s Eid Gifts. Questions: To whom did Amina give gifts? Why did they give gifts? Activity: Coloring Pages Have the children color several packages and label to whom they would give the gifts. Evaluation: Ask students what it means to be generous. Day 3: Symbols and Not Images Objective: Students will identify the symbols of the star and crescent with Islam. Procedure: Review The Story of Eid al AdhaThe five pillars.The Word Wall. The Crescent and Star: Copy the coloring page on to transparencies, one for each each child (or reduce, and run two per sheet.) Distribute colored markers, either permanent or transparency, and have the students color the crescent and star. Cut around them and mount in the window. Day 4: A Taste of Islam Objective: Students will name Kheer as a traditional Middle Eastern food, served in many Islamic countries. Procedure: Prepare as much of the Kheer Recipe ahead of time as possible. Save heating and the addition of spices for school. Add spices and heat the Kheer in the school microwave. Serve individual portions. Discuss taste, when you would eat the Kheer, and find out whether students do or do not like it.

Biology Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Biology - Research Paper Example The uses of gene therapy are to replace absent or defective genes, deliver genetic material into cells that speed the destruction of cancer cells, deliver genetic material into cells that cause cancer cells to revert back to normal cells, deliver genes of bacteria or virus as a form of vaccination, deliver genetic material that either impedes or promotes growth of a new tissue and deliver genetic material that stimulates healing of a damaged tissue (Hecht, 2004). 1. Ex vivo gene therapy: Here, gene delivery is done in cells after being removed from the body (Hecht, 2004). These cells are grown in the laboratory. The cells are than modified outside the body and then transplanted back into the body. In some research trials, cells from blood or born marrow are taken out and cultured in a laboratory. Thereafter, the cells are exposed to the virus with the desired gene. The virus infects the cells and transfers the therapeutic genetic material into the nucleus of the cells. After this, the cells are injected into the patient’s body by vein. Gene therapy has been used to restore vision in dogs. It has also been attempted to treat Lebers congenital amaurosis, a type of inherited childhood blindness caused by a single abnormal gene. Studies have shown that tumor suppressing genes delivered in lipid-based nanoparticles reduces the number and size of human lung cancer tumors in mice. Reengineered lymphocytes have been used to attack cancer cells in metastatic melanoma and myeloid disorders. Other studies have suggested a possible cure for diseases like Hingtinton’s chorea, severe combined immunodeficiency and sickle cell diseas, thalassemia, cystic fibrosis and some cancers in the future (Genomics.energy.gov). Researchers are also experimenting with introducing a 47th (artificial human) chromosome into target cells. It is expected that this chromosome would

Market Orientation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Market Orientation - Essay Example In such cases, marketing and advertising should be based on strategy different from the traditional approach (Mullins & Walker, 2010). Considering the case of funeral services, a business proposition that has gained widespread acceptance worldwide, still seems to be a taboo when it comes to marketing and advertising. Although human beings acknowledge the fact that death is inevitable, no one would eagerly wait or plan for it in advance, or even think about death. The Federal Trade Commission (2004) defines funeral services as services used to care for and prepare bodies for burial, cremation, or other final disposition; and, services used to arrange, supervise, or conduct the funeral ceremony or final disposition of human remains (Complying with the funeral rule, 2004; p.2). Without marketing the services, organizations providing these services will not be able to survive. However, marketing and advertising these services is very difficult as it might seem offensive to the general pu blic. Moreover, in this business, services are sought only when the need arises. The need is accompanied by many other deeper emotions, which could potentially suppress the buyers’ choice of company. This would again mean loss for the firms that are unable to spread awareness of their existence in the appropriate manner. In marketing sphere, advertising such products/services are commonly referred to as controversial advertising as they deal with socially sensitive issues. Such services have legal restrictions on advertising and portrayal. Waller (1999) points out that these products are faced with reasons related to delicacy, decency, morality, or even fear of distaste, disgust, offence, or outrage when mentioned or openly presented (p.289). In spite of these challenges, such services can be sold by adopting distant approaches. Advertising about provision of funeral services can be done through brochures, banners, posters, audio etc. Although it is good idea to make these ad vertisements impersonal or rather only information providing medium, it would be a better idea to make points that touch human emotions in the right manner. These advertisements must be more empathetic than sympathetic. In this sense, cognitive positioning that addresses the problems or solutions of the situation in which these services may be needed would give an empathetic perspective. To market about funeral services, the business owners cannot expect potential customers to walk up to them or start looking out for one. Hence, it becomes the onus of the business personnel to reach out to people where they can find potential for usage of their services. These could be hospice care centers, rehabilitation centers, florists, home for the elderly etc. When marketing or selling funeral services, it is important to establish a position as trusted partner who can assist the clients in the right manner in time of great need. By providing free information, funeral services can at least spr ead the awareness of their presence and their services which can be used when the need arises. The way this information is spread makes a lot of difference to the business. For example, when spreading information through brochures, video, audio etc, it is important to emphasize the name, logo, brad of the company and keep the information related to service more subtle in order to avoid sending out messages that might offend the public.

Business Statistics Homework Speech or Presentation

Business Statistics Homework - Speech or Presentation Example What proportion of brook trout caught will be between 12 and 18 inches in length? 8. The discrete random variable X is the number of students that show up for Professor Smiths office hours on Monday afternoons. The table below shows the probability distribution for X. What is the expected value E(X) for this distribution? 10. The time required for a citizen to complete the 2000 U.S. Census "long" form is normally distributed with a mean of 40 minutes and a standard deviation of 10 minutes. The slowest 10% of the citizens would need at least how many minutes to complete the form? 11. On average, a major earthquake (Richter scale 6.0 or above) occurs 3 times a decade in a certain California county. What is the probability that less than six months will pass before the next earthquake? 17. On a Sunday in April, dog bite victims arrive at Carver Memorial Hospital at a historical rate of 0.6 victims per day. On a given Sunday in April, what is the probability that exactly two dog bite victims will arrive? 19. If the mean time between unscheduled maintenance of LCD displays in a hospitals CT scan facility is 4,000 operating hours, what is the probability of unscheduled maintenance in the next 5,000 hours? 21. In Melanies Styling Salon, the time to complete a simple haircut is normally distributed with a mean of 25 minutes and a standard deviation of 4 minutes. What percent of customers require less than 32 minutes for a simple haircut? 22. A large number of applicants for admission to graduate study in business are given an aptitude test. Scores are normally distributed with a mean of 460 and standard deviation of 80. What fraction of applicants would you expect to have scores of 600 or above? 23. On average, a major earthquake (Richter scale 6.0 or above) occurs 3 times a decade in a certain California county. Find the probability that at least one major earthquake will occur within

Answer for 11 question Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Answer for 11 question - Essay Example An educated character would use education to find out the very basics of life which, as it is, is the most important aspects of life. Question 2 According to Plato, the Allegory of the cave is that human beings are chained to a wall (while facing the wall) behind them another wall with figures constantly walking across it. Behind the second wall is a pit of fire casting shadows on the wall for humanity to see and determine the object from its shadow. Freedom is breaking free from this wall on which one is chained on. In today’s life, the shadows can be compared to forms of media which paint the picture of how we humans should see things. Like believing all Muslims are terrorists. Freedom is getting away from such stereotypes. Question 3 The Bible details out, in the first three chapters in the book of Genesis, hoe creation was carried out by God and what became of man after his fall from grace. This imparts a very important lesson in people’s daily lives. First of all, the fact that man was created in the image and likeness of God is reason enough for each individual to consider themselves of equal importance to one another. Each individual is thus free from discrimination and owing to the fact that everyone is in God’s image and likeliness. ... tives who have lived together in harmony for several decades until Colonel Joll comes about and sows the seeds of suspicion between the two groups of people. Fear is one of the results of the suspicion between the two groups since each sees the other not as an old friend but a new enemy. In this confusion, the colonizers become more and more ruthless and barbaric even though they had called the natives ‘barbarous.’ Fear further manifests itself in the fact that the colonel Joll leads the Empire’s forces to burn trees along the river and thus keeps the natives fearful. Question 5 In the essay whose title appears above, George Orwell argues that it is detrimental to the understanding of one’s message by using parts of speech that only complicate the message intended for the audience. He faults political language for its distortion of meaning by saying that â€Å"This mixture of vagueness and sheer incompetence is the most marked characteristic of modern Engl ish prose, and especially of any kind of political writing.† This, he says, is used intentional by politicians to hide meaning from those they intend to serve. To the writers, he advices them to â€Å"Bad writers, and especially scientific, political, and sociological writers, are nearly always haunted by the notion that Latin or Greek words are grander than Saxon ones, and unnecessary words like  expedite, ameliorate, predict, extraneous, deracinated, clandestine, subaqueous, and hundreds of others constantly gain ground from their Anglo-Saxon numbers.? They should thus wean themselves off the use of unnecessarily complex words for simpler ones. Question 6 Cormac McCarthy discuses several themes in his book among them religion, belief, and race. He goes against the stereotype by depicting the black man as a

Developing a Best Practice framework for setting up an offshore Dissertation

Developing a Best Practice framework for setting up an offshore jurisdiction in Islamic Finance - Dissertation Example Offshore jurisdictions that are fertile for Islamic finance include; Cayman Islands, Isle of Man, Jersey, Guernsey, Bahamas, British Virgin Islands, Bahrain, Labuan (Malaysia), Luxembourg, Dubai International Financial Centre and Dublin (Ireland). Other offshore jurisdiction favoured for investment includes Turks and Caicos Islands, Bermuda, Barbados, Cook Islands, Labua, Liechtenstein, Mauritius, Cyprus and Gibraltar (Academie de Droit and International de la Haye, 1995). Most of the offshore centres in the world are anxious to become influential financial locations. These offshore locations aggressively seek investors interested in global investment from any part of the world. Growth of global investments has caused unprecedented growth of offshore jurisdictions in the past years. Accumulation of petrodollars and increasing Muslim population as well as increase in infrastructural projects demanding huge amounts of capital drive global Islamic finance. Furthermore, active participat ion of investors and independence of countries in Islamic capital markets are some of the reasons of growth and development of global Islamic finance (Muhammad 2009). Wealthy people and entities put their assets in offshore jurisdiction to avoid their legal obligations in their jurisdiction. They seek lawful lowering of tax incidence upon their wealth and avoid exposure of assets to risks such as claims that might otherwise arise in the home jurisdiction and can be legally avoided by investing away from home. A report released by Ernst & Young Islamic funds & Investment department indicated that global Islamic fund assets stagnated at US$52.3 billion in 2009 from US$51.4 billion in 2008. This is minimal growth and Islamic fund managers must adapt their strategies and operational models in line with new level expectations. Shariah investable assets have experienced strong growth over the years. Director at Ernst & Young’s Islamic Financial Services Ashar Nazim said that Sharia h investable pool grew by 20% from US$ 400 billion in 2008 to US$ 480 billion in 2009 (Investors Offshore n. d. ). Islamic Finance has remained strong despite the global credit crisis that shook global financial markets. This is because Islamic Finance has demonstrated promising banking behaviour over years. Trusts are normally set up to protect assets transferred to an offshore jurisdictions from the claims of creditors who might come into existence in future time but are nonexistent at the time of transfer of the assets of the offshore trusts. The transferors also aim to provide among members of their families in way that could not be done, were the forced heir ship provisions of the home jurisdiction enforced against the migrant property of the person. Offshore transfer of funds makes the transferor to have the advantage of trust provisions which are not known in the home jurisdiction. 2.0 The Research Problem Islamic Finance is becoming one of the most admirable financing produc ts across the world. Both Muslims and non-Muslims are approaching Islamic banks and Islam based financial institutions to meet their banking and financial needs. Islamic Finance is based on the teachings of Koran (Shariah Law) and does not operate like a conventional financial institution. Therefore, it has a totally different best practice framework, which must meet the dictates of the Koran. Unlike conventional banks, Islamic banks are faced with more challenges in terms of inadequate or failed internal processes,

A Wall of Separation between Law and Religion Term Paper

A Wall of Separation between Law and Religion - Term Paper Example The history of the United States is replete with governmental acknowledgment, and in some cases accommodation, of religion. The national motto â€Å"IN GOD WE TRUST† of the United States first appeared on the 1864 two-cent coin, which was officially adopted in 1956, clearly proves that the government is not atheist. (Facts sheet, 2007) The First Amendment states that â€Å"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion.† The Establishment Clause represents one of America’s most cherished safeguards and is also most heavily litigated. Time and again there are allegations that â€Å"the courts and their civil-libertarian allies have waged a relentless battle to drive the words and symbols of traditional faith from the nation’s discourse.† (Stanton, M., 1996) The main focus was not only the public schools, where prayer, Bible reading, and display of the Ten Commandments have all been banished but extends to other venues also. The co mmon view is that â€Å"from the first day of the United States until today, the Supreme Court has been pivotal in interpreting our Constitution and shaping our republic.† (Land Mark Supreme Court Cases, 2007). In the opinion of Justice Hugo Black and others, the Founding Fathers sought to raise an impregnable ‘wall of separation’ between government and religious faith when they adopted the First Amendment. Perhaps Thomas Jefferson is considered as the first to cite the term â€Å"wall of separation† in a message to the Danbury Baptists. Jefferson further emphasized his point through a letter to a Presbyterian clergy that â€Å"I consider the government to the United States as interdicted from meddling with religious institutions; certainly no power over religious discipline has been delegated to the general government.†

Developing a Best Practice framework for setting up an offshore Dissertation

Developing a Best Practice framework for setting up an offshore jurisdiction in Islamic Finance - Dissertation Example Offshore jurisdictions that are fertile for Islamic finance include; Cayman Islands, Isle of Man, Jersey, Guernsey, Bahamas, British Virgin Islands, Bahrain, Labuan (Malaysia), Luxembourg, Dubai International Financial Centre and Dublin (Ireland). Other offshore jurisdiction favoured for investment includes Turks and Caicos Islands, Bermuda, Barbados, Cook Islands, Labua, Liechtenstein, Mauritius, Cyprus and Gibraltar (Academie de Droit and International de la Haye, 1995). Most of the offshore centres in the world are anxious to become influential financial locations. These offshore locations aggressively seek investors interested in global investment from any part of the world. Growth of global investments has caused unprecedented growth of offshore jurisdictions in the past years. Accumulation of petrodollars and increasing Muslim population as well as increase in infrastructural projects demanding huge amounts of capital drive global Islamic finance. Furthermore, active participat ion of investors and independence of countries in Islamic capital markets are some of the reasons of growth and development of global Islamic finance (Muhammad 2009). Wealthy people and entities put their assets in offshore jurisdiction to avoid their legal obligations in their jurisdiction. They seek lawful lowering of tax incidence upon their wealth and avoid exposure of assets to risks such as claims that might otherwise arise in the home jurisdiction and can be legally avoided by investing away from home. A report released by Ernst & Young Islamic funds & Investment department indicated that global Islamic fund assets stagnated at US$52.3 billion in 2009 from US$51.4 billion in 2008. This is minimal growth and Islamic fund managers must adapt their strategies and operational models in line with new level expectations. Shariah investable assets have experienced strong growth over the years. Director at Ernst & Young’s Islamic Financial Services Ashar Nazim said that Sharia h investable pool grew by 20% from US$ 400 billion in 2008 to US$ 480 billion in 2009 (Investors Offshore n. d. ). Islamic Finance has remained strong despite the global credit crisis that shook global financial markets. This is because Islamic Finance has demonstrated promising banking behaviour over years. Trusts are normally set up to protect assets transferred to an offshore jurisdictions from the claims of creditors who might come into existence in future time but are nonexistent at the time of transfer of the assets of the offshore trusts. The transferors also aim to provide among members of their families in way that could not be done, were the forced heir ship provisions of the home jurisdiction enforced against the migrant property of the person. Offshore transfer of funds makes the transferor to have the advantage of trust provisions which are not known in the home jurisdiction. 2.0 The Research Problem Islamic Finance is becoming one of the most admirable financing produc ts across the world. Both Muslims and non-Muslims are approaching Islamic banks and Islam based financial institutions to meet their banking and financial needs. Islamic Finance is based on the teachings of Koran (Shariah Law) and does not operate like a conventional financial institution. Therefore, it has a totally different best practice framework, which must meet the dictates of the Koran. Unlike conventional banks, Islamic banks are faced with more challenges in terms of inadequate or failed internal processes,

Andrew Marvells poem To His Coy Mistress Essay Example for Free

Andrew Marvells poem To His Coy Mistress Essay In this essay I will compare and contrast Andrew Marvells poem, To His Coy Mistress, with Elizabeth Barrett Brownings sonnet, How Do I Love Thee? Andrew Marvells poem is about an older man trying persuade a younger women to carpe diem (seize the day), in order to make love to her, by using compliments and flattery, Vaster than empires, and should go to praise.'(Stanza 1, line 12) Additionally, Elizabeth Barrett Brownings sonnet is about a female who is expressing her feelings towards a male. Judging by the poem, the woman is deeply in love with the man in a spiritual sense, I love thee to the depth and breadth and height, my soul can reach. (Line 2-3) To His Coy Mistress is a comparatively long poem of 46 lines, which is divided into three stanzas, representing different parts of the argument for which he is trying to persuade her to sleep with him. In the first stanza, the man flatters the women by using grandiose imagery and hyperbole. He says that her coyness would be of no consequence had we but world enough and time (Line 1) and then follows with more detail in the following stanzas. The older man also shows how interested he is by expressing the magnitude of his feelings, by explaining how he would, love you ten years before the flood (Line 8), even if his love were to remain unrequited, till the conversation of the Jews.'(Line 10) In addition he then describes how long he would be prepared to appreciate all of her physical attributes, two hundred to adore each breast, But thirty thousand to the rest.'(Line 15-16) On one hand, he is trying to prove to the young women how much he wants her; on the other hand she could perceive his words in the wrong way, maybe he just wants to sleep with her? You could argue that this is satirising the kings court, because even though he is flattering her, it is inappropriate to assume that he would be allowed to look at her for this long period of time. In the second stanza, he continues to us the grandiose imagery from the first stanza, but introduces a sense of urgency. When he says, but in the very first line, the audience realises that there is going to be a shift in focus. He now says that he hears times winged chariot hurrying near.'(Line 22) From this point, his imagery becomes increasingly desperate. He tries to shock the women into sleeping with him, by talking about her coyness, and if she perseveres in life that way, she runs the risk of only wormstrying that long preserved virginity.'(Line 27-28) He says that his attitude will turn to dust and into ashes all my lust.'(Line 30) This sentence makes the audience more aware of his actual intentions by saying the word lust rather than love, making us believe that he has betrayed his true motives, and slipped up in front of the woman, he is making out he loves. In the last stanza of To His Coy Mistress, it sees him almost demand that they make sport (love). The imagery on this stanza becomes more erotic, and may have more than one interpretation. Let us roll.up into one ball, and tear our pleasuresthrough the iron gates of life.'(Line 41 and 44) Rolling up into a ball could represent two people making love together or a cannon ball which will smash down, the iron gates of life. These gates could represent the womans chastity belt or societys conventions which would frown upon an extramarital affair. The last two lines are similarly ambiguous. They both tie in with lines from the second stanza. Thus, through we cannot make our sun, stand still, yet we will make him run (Line 45 46), suggests that they should make the most of their time they are spending together, and conceive a child (son). Elizabeth Barrett Brownings poem, How do I love thee presents quite a contrast to Andrew Marvells poem. Its imagery is humble, and very personal. It is an expression of deep love and devotion from one person to another. The purpose of the poem is to quantify the dimensions of her love and at the beginning of the poem, it is very clear to the audience that this woman is deeply in love with her partner By starting with the line, How do I love thee? Let me count the ways'(Line 1) she begins to compare her love to religion and emotions rather than physical attributes, I love thee freely, as men strive for right. (Line 7) The imagery she uses to supposedly quantify this love is suggestive of infinity, and a love which has no boundaries, even after the soul is free from the physical body, I shall but love thee after death. (Line 14) Constructive descriptions are always used in this poem, compared to Andrew Marvells, which also describes the negative issues. Besides Brownings poem having a very romantic meaning, you could question why the woman needs to prove her love for her partner, because she continually mentions and repeats, I love thee in most of her sentences. She could be indeed counting the ways she loves her partner, however maybe her partner needs reassuring of her love for him. One could argue that, Barrett Browning chose the sonnet form for this poem, for the purposes of contrast; to take something which is supposedly infinitive (her love) and place it in a finite and restricted form (sonnet). Alternatively, people could think different because there are such strict rules governing sonnet writing, (i.e. 10 syllables per line, 14 lines etc) and people might question why she chose such a rigid format, for something which she feels most strongly about. Overall, the two poems are opposites, but they are both concerned with the concept of time, human life and love. At the end of the poem, browning says, if god choose, I shall love thee better after death,'(Line 13-14) showing that even after she dies, her love for this man will continue to grow, loving him for eternity. To His Coy Mistress, and How Do I Love Thee have many correlations with each other. For example; Both poems are about love; but represent different kinds of love. Andrew Marvells poem is about lust and sexual gratification, while Elizabeth Barrett Brownings poem is about true love and loyalty. The sonnet is written from a womens point of view, where she expresses her true love for her husband. The other poem is written from a mature mans point of view, and represemts his lust for a younger women. This poem is an elaborate chat up line to present a logical argument in order to persuade her to make love to him. This can show how the significance of a poem can differ because of the century it has been written in. To his coy mistress, was written in the 1600s while How do I love thee was written in the 1800s. The cultural difference between these two periods, is the writing style, as in the 1600s people were interested in composing clever arguments, and were more interested in writing about sex, lust and passion. Whereas in the 1800s, the poems written had more true meaning, with a deeper, more romantic feeling. And into ashes all my lust, compared to, How do I love theeLet me count the ways. Many love poems are written in a very traditional format, with very strict rules. Elizabeth Barrett Browning took the challenge to write about something which is supposed to have no limits (love) into something which is restricted (sonnet). On the other hand Andrew Marvells poem is all based around carpe diem, in a non-traditional format, with no strict rules or guide-lines. This can affect the imagery used as one has no limitation to the amount of syllables, lines or stanzas, while the other has a restricted format leaving a certain amount of phrases which can be used. Clearly this means that there are different types of imagery used between the two poems since, How do I love thee uses abstract and emotional imagery, which tends to be highly personal and humble. In some cases you cannot quite put a finger on what she is describing. I love thee to the level of every day, most quite nearby sun and candlelight. (Line 5-6) To His Coy Mistress, tends to use ostentatious hyperbole and grandiose imagery. He uses big overdone, tacky images, by using phrases such as, times winged chariot, instant fires and iron gates of life. You can picture what the man is describing; but on the other hand, you can tell that he might be misleading the audience to make them believe that he is in love with this woman. Throughout the whole of my essay, I have come to the conclusion, that both poems have many comparisons, similarities and differences. They both describe a form of love between two people. In my opinion, the poem I prefer is, To his coy mistress, because it had more of an effect on me, because of the language used. The man comes across as very desperate, but on the other hand with very good charisma. The imagery used is effective, as I could relate and imagine what he is describing. As well as keeping the audience intrigued on what the women will do next, he leaves the ending on a cliff hanger, by not telling on the final decision the women makes! However, I do not dislike the poem, How do I love thee because it has appropriate language for the concept she is describing. I just think it is rather tedious describing only the optimistic qualities about a person, for the reason that everybody has faults and pessimistic attributes. Furthermore, I didnt find it unique or distinctive from other love poems, since the language and imagery was very similar.

The Meaning And Purpose Of Life Religion Essay

The Meaning And Purpose Of Life Religion Essay First of all life is the mostly cherished thing in the world, if we can call it a thing, as everything that people have, everything that they feel and experience is life itself. Questions like what is the meaning and the purpose of life are really hard to answer straight away; it takes time to think about it. Moreover it really has been the single ultimate question from the creation of earth and mankind. Every person for a moment or two in his life had to think what is the meaning and purpose of life, why am I here? I think that it is hard for people to believe in any kind of purpose that we have in our lives, as people dont believe in eternal life, why should they believe in the purpose of life? It is true that when a person is young and full of energy he doesnt really bother of thinking about the purpose of life, and what will happen to him after his death, because he forgets about it completely. As people grow older they think of their life more and more, of what they have already done, and what is still missing. Nobody wants to live an empty life, without reaching any goals, something that we would be proud in the end of our life. If people have a purpose of life, they have something that they want to achieve and reach, so it makes the life that much interesting and fuller. It can also show the way how to live for people, serve as a guide in the labyrinth of life. Like the great ancient Roman stoic philosopher Lucius Annaeus Seneca said: Our plans miscarry because they have no aim. When a ma n does not know what harbor he is making for, no wind is the right wind. http://quotationsbook.com/quote/17170/ The great philosopher had a great point there, as people do need to have an aim to have some kind of a target for their life, to reach something. Another important fact of the purpose of life is religious and spiritual side of peoples lives. All in all it was God almighty that created the Earth and mankind, so religion and belief must exist and take a very important part in a persons life. If there were no Creator, if humans were just products and results of an ordinary system, as many in the world today assert, there would be no purpose in life. Each individual human being would strive simply to live their life with as much pleasure and as little pain and suffering as possible. Life should be seen as an eternal process of an endless spiritual discovery and growth: in the beginning stages of earthly life, the individual undergoes a period of training and education which, if it is successful, gives that person the basic intellectual and spiritual tools necessary for living his life successfully. When individuals attain physical maturity in adulthood, they become responsible for their further progress, which now depends entirely their own efforts and skills. Through the daily struggles of material existence, people gradually deepen their understanding of the spiritual principles underlying reality, and this helps them to relate more effectively to themselves, to others, and to God. http://www.allaboutworldview.org/Meaning-Of-Life.htm Yet, different people have different purpose of life. Ones think that self-realization is the purpose of life, others think that it is memories that you leave after you die, and another group of people think that consuming and pleasure is the main purpose and goal of their life. There are still more things on the list of what do people include in the purpose of life, but some are really mistaken. Life can be compared to a school as people always learn in it, and come to this school to educate their souls. And some make an emphasis on the fun and games just like children do, while others put all their attention on the studying, and the meaning of life is so much clearer for them. Education of the soul consists of clear life-style, striving to help others, to reach the set goals, and live in harmony with God, so that people would have as little regrets for himself near the end of his life as possible. Of course we all know, there is no such thing as an ideal life, an all people make mi stakes, and think about the past, wanting to change a lot of things. But that is life, and you have to move on, perhaps trying to make up for the mistakes made in the past by good deeds in the future. http://www.allaboutworldview.org/Meaning-Of-Life.htm But how to rate a life, did people achieve their goal to reach the purpose of their life? The only time that a person can think back on all his deeds, and not do anything more is the moment before his death. The meaning of an activity is graded by the result of the activity itself. That same thing can be said about our life, which meaning we can view after death. If we are lost in our life, and cant find the meaning and purpose of it, we can take a completely different perspective-death. We can look at our life if we would be gone now, that of course sounds creepy but it might open our eyes on many things that are there, and need to be done before we go. As for me, I am still young and questions like purpose of life, death and so on dont really bother me that much. But I do set clear goals for my life, putting them into priorities, from important to less important. And although it is very hard, but I try to put fun into a small box, that needs to be open vary rarely, only after the big boxes are emptied.

Free Terrorism Essays: We Need the United Nations :: September 11 Terrorism Essays

We Need the United Nations in Our War Against Terror The United Nations has often been criticized, but events after the terrorist attack of September 11 show how essential it is to international peace and security. The United Nations Security Council, in particular, has proved its value in the present crisis. To combat terrorism, and specifically Osama bin Laden's network and the governments of Iran, Iraq, North Korea and other countries, a broad and diverse coalition is necessary. President Bush quickly realized that the active cooperation of other countries, including Muslim countries, was essential to the intelligence and policy work needed to find terrorists and destroy their networks. The support of these countries was also important to avoid a severe political backlash against the use of military force in Afghanistan. To secure such cooperation and support, country-by-country negotiations were necessary, but they were not sufficient. The campaign against terrorism needed to be rendered legitimate in the eyes of the world - particularly in countries whose governments and people are suspicious of the United States. Unilateral American action could have too easily been portrayed as lashing-out by the powerful "hegemon" at the expense of the poor and the weak. To be legitimate, action had to be authorized collectively, in a public forum representing the whole world. No such forum exists except the Security Council of the United Nations. Its fifteen members currently include three Muslim countries - Bangladesh, Mali, and Tunisia. Hence unanimous resolutions by the Security Council belie the claim that efforts against terrorism are "anti-Muslim." The Security Council has passed two unanimous resolutions on terrorism since September 11. Meeting in New York the very next day, it adopted Resolution 1368, which unequivocally condemned the terrorist attacks on the United States, and called on the international community to redouble its "efforts to prevent and suppress terrorist acts." Resolution 1368 also referred to the "inherent right of individual or collective self-defense," in accordance with Article 51 of the United Nations Charter. In effect, it declared that military action by the United States against those responsible for the attacks would be lawful. Last Friday, September 28, the Security Council passed a more specific and equally far-reaching resolution, Resolution 1373. In this resolution it acted under Chapter VII of the UN Charter, which gives the Security Council authority to order states to carry out "the measures decided upon by the Security Council.

The Pros and Cons of Genetic Engineering Essay -- Genetic Engineering E

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Genetic engineering is a process in which scientists transfer genes from one species to another totally unrelated species. Usually this is done in order to get one organism to produce proteins, which it would not naturally produce. The genes taken from one species, which code for a particular protein, are put into cells of another species, using a vector. This can result in the cells producing the desired protein. It is used for producing proteins which can be used by humans, such as insulin for diabetics and is also used to make organisms better at surviving, for example genetically modifying a plant so that it can survive in acidic soil.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  There is debate about whether genetic engineering should be used or not, and to what degree. There are many problems that can occur from the process and many of these cannot be avoided currently. There are known problems and there is also the fact that the whole process is unpredictable and unforeseen problems could crop up. A good example of this was the influence of a genetically engineered organism on a food chain, which sometimes damaged the local ecology. The new organism could now compete successfully against other species, causing unforeseen changes in the environment. This could then have a knock-on effect that could lead to the destruction of whole species.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Due to the quite random nature of genetic engineering, there is a risk that it may disrupt the functioning of other genes in an organism. This could mean that the organisms do not survive at all, or become some sort of mutated freak, which is completely different and maybe even more dangerous. Genetic engineers also intend to profit by patenting genetically engineered seeds. This means that, when a farmer plants these genetically engineered seeds, all the seeds have an identical genetic structure. As a result, if a fungus, a virus, or a pest develops which can attack this particular crop, they might all be at risk, resulting in widespread crop failure. Insects, birds, and the wind can carry genetically altered seeds, which can cross-pollinate with genetically natural crops and wild relatives. All crops, organic and non-organic, are vulnerable to contamination from cross-pollinatation, meaning that problems in the original genetically modified organisms can be spre ad a... ...age because it means that insulin, which keeps diabetics alive, can be produced quickly and cheaply. Genetic Engineering could also increase genetic diversity, and produce more variants of the same species that could also be crossed over and implanted into other species. Animals and plants can be 'tailor made' to show desirable characteristics. Genes could also be manipulated in trees for example, to absorb more CO2 and reduce the threat of global warming. This would actually help the environment. However many of these things have not been tested and are much more difficult in practice than in theory. That added to the massive uncertainty about the effects and results of genetic engineering would suggest that the benefits do not outweigh the risks taken to obtain them. A religious question also arises. By changing the cells of living organisms are we ‘playing God’ and if we are should we be allowed to?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In conclusion I would say that genetic engineering is certainly a good thing saving lives in many cases. However more tests need to be carried out, and profit-hungry companies should not be allowed to do whatever they want in their quests for profit.

CELTA written Assignment 3: Language Skills Related Task Essay

Section 1: chosen text For this assignment I have a chosen a text which is an interview with celebrity chef Jamie Oliver, called ‘Interview with Jamie Oliver: I’m a big fan of chillies’, by Nandy Priyadarshini, published on DNA India website (http://www.dnaindia.com/lifestyle/report-interview-with-jamie-oliver-im-a-big-fan-of-chillies-1897063). The level of students for which the article and tasks are intended is intermediate. I think students will be interested in reading an interview with Jamie Oliver because food tends to be a universal topic that everyone can relate to. Despite the fact that different nationalities and cultures have different cuisines, overall, people all around the world love food and enjoy talking about it. Jamie Oliver is one of Britain’s celebrity chefs and what makes him stand out is his outspoken, passionate and no-nonsense philosophy about cooking that people find appealing. He is seen on many TV shows and his books have made him a familiar face all over the world, so there is a good chance the students, who have different nationalities, have heard of Jamie Oliver. Additionally, a healthy lifestyle has become a very current topic which is why this article is interesting and relevant material, suitable for reading activities. The text has a good length, around 1 A4. Too long a text will require too much from the students, too short a text and the students aren’t challenged enough. Section 2: Lead-in In order to raise students’ awareness, I would consider showing them some realia in the classroom, for example a frying pan and ask the students WHOSE name comes to mind when they see it. Perhaps they can come up with some names of famous cooks. Then show a book by Jamie Oliver and elicit his name. I would ask the students what they know about him, whether they have ever seen his shows, if they have ever tried his recipes, if they like cooking in general. If so why, or why not. â€Å"If we can get the students engaged in the task there is a much better chance they will read (or listen) with commitment and concentration, whether or not they were interested in the topic to start with† says Jeremy Harmer in ‘The practice of English Language  Teaching, 3rd edition, 2001, page 206. By allowing the students to work in pairs, they get the chance to practise their speaking skills a little bit. Section 3: Initial receptive skills task On a hand-out, students would be given the interview text and my initial receptive skills task would be to ask the students to come up with a different title for the text. The original title is of the text is: ‘I’m a big fan of chillies’. Jamie Oliver does mention chillies in the interview but talks about many other things. In order for the students to find another title, they would have to read the entire interview and to get a general understanding of the article. Purpose of this task is to practise reading for gist. Students will probably not understand all the vocabulary but they will hopefully get a feel for the passion Jamie Oliver feels towards food and cooking, and how he wants to accomplish his mission(s). The article contains quite a bit of vocabulary that the students may be unfamiliar with. Examples are: in fashion, chat, have it rough, merchandise, noble, knowledge, affordable, treat, do justice, prepare, tastier, chopping board, equipment, sink, rubbish, fortune, contributions, inspired, accessible, watchable, consider, transform, bland, excitement, sneak, flavour, versatile. The students, however, are asked to skim the text, as explained by Jeremy Harmer in ‘The practice of English Language Teaching 3rd edition, 2001, page 202: â€Å"the reader has made a choice not to attend to every detail but to use their processing powers to get more of a top-down view of what is going on†. I would refrain from pre-teaching vocabulary at this stage because â€Å"if we want to give students practice in what it is like to tackle authentic reading and listening texts for general understanding, then getting past words they do not understand is one of the skills they need to develop. By giving them some or all of those words, we deny them that chance† stated Jeremy Harmer in ‘The practice of English Language Teaching 3rd edition, 2001, page 203. After the students have invented a new title, I would ask them to discuss their ideas with their partners to give them some speaking practice. In the class room session, some suggestions would then be shared with the entire class and the teacher is able to do some error-correction. Section 4: Second receptive skills task The second task is a more difficult one and requires the students to read the text for specific information. The purpose of this task is read for detail and interpret the opinion of the interviewer as well as the person being interviewed. Because the majority of difficult words are in context, students should be able to understand the meaning of them. I could encourage the students to read fast, as mentioned in ‘Learning Teaching’ by Jim Scrivener, 3rd edition, 2011, page 264: â€Å"A good first strategy could be to help them to read fast; not worrying about understanding every word; not, perhaps, even understanding most words, but still achieving a specific and useful goal†. In this task, the students will be given a number of statements – see Appendix – and they will have to indicate whether they are true or false. After this activity, students get the opportunity to check their answers with their partners which will enable to correct their own mistakes before the answers are discussed in class. In the class room feedback session, the really difficult words that students struggled with, can be addressed. I would use realia, pictures and/ or mime to elicit the meaning of vocabulary. For example, show pictures of a chopping board, sink, rubbish, merchandise. To convey the meaning of for example ‘noble’ or ‘have it rough’, I could revert back to the context in the article and use concept checking questions. Section 5: Productive skills follow-up activity As a follow-on task, it might be good idea for the students to practise speaking language related to food and food culture in groups and have a little debate about it. Students should think about what people like to eat in the country where they are from. If there are foods their countries are famous for. For example Spain: tapas; Netherlands: cheese, France: also cheese, bread etc. What would you recommend a visitor to eat in your country and why? Or why not? The students get some freer oral fluency practice related to different food cultures. Afterwards, one person may present some of the group’s findings to the rest of the class. Another follow-on task might involve some writing practice where students, individually, write a paragraph with ‘all your favourite foods in one day’. To start off with, students should describe their ideal breakfast, followed by lunch and  dinner, including drinks. What would the perfect menu look like? This may include foods from the country that they are from or from another country. For example: in the morning, I want to eat bread with cheese and have cup of tea. I would also like to drink a glass of milk or orange juice for breakfast etc. This would enable to students to have controlled written practice in the context of food. Section 6: References Sources: http://www.dnaindia.com/lifestyle/report-interview-with-jamie-oliver-im-a-big-fan-of-chillies-1897063 Learning Teaching, the essential guide to English Language Teaching, 3rd edition 2011 by Jim Scrivener The Practice of English Language Teaching, 3rd edition 2001 by Jeremy Harmer Appendix True/False Statements 1) Jamie Oliver is like all the other cooks on TV because he is just an entertainer cannot really cook (false) 2) In Food Revolution, he is trying to teach people that tasty food does not have to cost much and it can be healthy (true) 3) He also believes that ‘fast food’ is ok and that people can eat it as much as they want (false) 4) Jamie Oliver thinks that if you want to cook a really good meal, it always takes a lot of time in the kitchen (false) 5) Jamie likes to keep his kitchen as clean as possible when he is cooking (true) 6) What Jamie Oliver really likes is to think of new recipes with other chefs (true) 7) He says that the fish from Marrakesh is the best (false) 8) Jamie Oliver hopes that young people stop eating all junk food (false) 9) His mission is to give people new ideas about food and how to cook it (true) 10) He believes that you have to use garlic, lemons and chillies in every meal if you want your food to taste better (false) Wednesday, 2 October 2013 – 4:30pm IST | Agency: dna / Priyadarshini Nandy Interview with Jamie Oliver: I’m a big fan of chillies Celebrity chef Jamie Oliver is always in fashion. With two of his famous television shows currently on Indian television, we decided to have a little chat with him about them. And what he tells us is to love food — from the heart. Celebrity chefs often have it rough. While most of them are heroes on television, in the real culinary world they are sometimes considered to be simply showmen and not real chefs. British chef Jamie Oliver is a bit different though. Yes, he is cute for sure, but the talented chef and restaurateur, who also has a line of television shows to his credit (a few of them are currently airing on Big CBS Love) as well as a line of irresistible merchandise, can sure put together a decent meal. In an interview with After Hrs, he talks about his food mantra†¦ We’d like to start with Food Revolution†¦ The show has been on for a while and you’re trying to do something extremely noble that the world can learn from. Did you achieve what you set out to do? My goals are really to make sure that children and adults around the world are given the knowledge to be able to feed themselves and their families properly — and by that I mean with fresh ingredients, not expensive ingredients. With a bit of knowledge, you can prepare quick, affordable, delicious and nutritious meals and also understand that there’s nothing wrong with things like fast food but only as a treat, not as everyday food. Referring to your 30 Minute Meals show, don’t you think that meals don’t quite do justice to a dish, unless you’re just throwing something together to avoid staying hungry? Cooking doesn’t have to be a slow process – you can make a delicious meal in five minutes if you know what you’re doing. You can even prepare something at home in the morning that you can eat for lunch and you’ll save money and it will probably be tastier than something you buy from a shop. It also depends on what you are cooking. Some dishes are simple and they only take one pot and a chopping board and a knife to put together. Others use more equipment. I find working into an empty sink or dishwasher, and having a bowl for rubbish near you when you prep, really helps minimise the mess. You’ve had the fortune of travelling across the globe. Can you share one or two of your favourite experiences as far as your culinary expeditions are concerned†¦ I’ll always remember my first night in Marrakesh as well as the freshness of the fish in Greece. But I’ll tell you that every few months, I get to work in the kitchens with my chefs from Jamie’s Italian and also an American chef I’m working with called Adam Perry Lang, and the things we come up with are always exciting. What do you think are your major contributions in the world of food? I would like to think that I’ve inspired people all over the world to try new things, to cook a bit better and to be a bit more adventurous with their cooking. I also hope I’ve inspired children to get excited about fresh food. What makes you different from other colleagues that have their own TV shows? I’ve always tried to make my television series interesting and accessible so whether it’s something like Jamie at Home or Jamie’s School Dinners, they’re always very watchable and there’s something in each one that makes the viewer think about food in a new way. What is that one ingredient you consider basic in any kitchen — the one thing that can transform a bland meal into a banquet? I’m a big fan of chillies and so I’d probably choose those – there’s so much you can do with them. They don’t work in every meal, of course, but they can really add excitement to so many things. I know I’m only supposed to choose one ingredient, but if I can sneak two more in, I’d also say lemons and garlic, both add so much flavour and are incredibly versatile.

Wal-Mart Scandal

New York Times reporter David Barstow uncovered a shocking story against retail giant, Wal-Mart. His investigation started after Wal-Mart shut down its internal investigation over the possible bribery of Mexican officials. Wal-Mart used these bribes to accelerate growth in their Mexican zoning areas. These allegations surfaced when a Hispanic lawyer contacted Wal-Mart headquarters in Bentonville Arkansas. This lawyer had inside information on Wal-Mart’s bribes, as he represented them in their acts. He was used as a middle man for Wal-Mart’s payoffs to these officials.Wal-Mart took action in defending its image. In 2005 the company launched an internal investigation that dug into the operations of Wal-Mart de Mexico. The reports put together obvious signs that the company had, in fact been bribing the city officials to open up zoning areas and to swiftly create building permits. These bribes reported to total above $24 million. Wal-Mart’s lead investigator had thi s to say after the investigation was conducted, â€Å"There is reasonable suspicion to believe that Mexican and USA laws have been violated. When Wal-Mart’s leaders were faced with the decision to continue the investigation, they gave it to Wal-Mart de Mexico to investigate; it was shut down. Wal-Mart didn’t notify Mexican or American law enforcement with the information and none of these wrong doings were brought to the public eye until the publication of Barstow’s article. Wal-Mart would obviously face critical examination by the public if the allegations were true; reasoning behind closing the investigation. Wal-Mart told the justice department that the investigation was unnecessary and the cases were minor where they did occur.The Time’s had a view in their investigation as they found substantial evidence supporting the bribes taking place. It’s believed that these bribes were the jump start Wal-Mart needed to gain its huge standing in Mexican society. 1 in 5 Wal-Mart’s are located in Mexico. The Times interviewed Sergio Cicero Zapata, who resigned from Wal-Mart de Mexico in 2004. Cicero told them of personal instances of him giving lawyers envelopes of money to pay off government officials. Cicero said that he had done these deals for years while working for Wal-Mart. Along with the information they received from Mr.Cicero, the times also found government documents with evidence of payoffs. These documents showed that within days of the money being given to the lawyers the permits were granted. The Times have published new stories exposing the company further with deeper information that they have gained through their investigation. Some of the information includes: * Wal-Mart pays $341,000 to officials in Mexico City to build a Sam’s club. The building was put in a densely populated area, and was done without a construction license, or an environmental permit or and urban impact assessment, or a traffic p ermit. Wal-Mart bribes officials to build â€Å"a vast refrigerated distribution center in an environmentally fragile flood basin north of Mexico City in an area where electricity is so scarce that many smaller developers turned away. † The bribe for this case was $765,000. * A zoning situation in Teotihuacan caused Wal-Mart to make a payment of $52,000 to enable them to build a store near a famous pyramid site. The citizens were enraged by the location of the store but the protests were ignored and the Wal-Mart was built.The mayor of Teotihuacan spent $77,000 buying and renovating a ranch the next year. Unexpected on a $47,000 yearly salary. * There have also been reports of Wal-Mart building on ancient ruin sites. They have been obtaining the permits to do so illegally. Now that the statements have been made public, Wal-Mart de Mexico has been under investigation by the U. S. and Mexican governments. The leadership is questionable within both Wal-Mart and Wal-Mart de Mexico . The high members of Wal-Mart de Mexico made a choice to shut down the investigation to cover up their tracks.The consequences of being discovered breaking the law to this extreme would put a huge chip on all of the Wal-Mart leaders’ shoulders. The growth of their business is also at stake. Apparently these bribes played a major role in the expansion of Wal-Marts across Mexico. The leaders located in Arkansas will more than likely be held accountable for irresponsible actions as well. If the allegations are true they could be found out for knowing about the illegal bribes. Ethical issues do not look good for leaders; it can dramatically impact the way the company is viewed.The actions of Wal-Mart making deals in Mexico could greatly affect the way the company is viewed and its overall standing to the public. With the investigation still ongoing it has yet to be clear what leaders at Wal-Mart are tied to the bribes in Mexico but it is undoubted by the New York Times that ther e are several people accountable for the actions. It is also possible that Wal-Mart has been doing this in other countries as well, but will only be confirmed when and if the government can obtain the information they need to prove wrong doing against Wal-Mart. Works Cited City. David Barstow; Alejandra Xanic Von Bertrab And James C. Mckinley Jr. Contributed Reporting From Mexico. â€Å"Vast Mexico Bribery Case Hushed Up by Wal-Mart After Top-Level Struggle. †Ã‚  The New York Times. 22 Apr. 2012. The New York Times. 04 Mar. 2013 . Radcliffe, Dana. â€Å"Leadership Lessons From Wal-Mart's Bribery Scandal. †Ã‚  The Huffington Post. 16 July 2012. TheHuffingtonPost. com. 04 Mar. 2013 .